Demons Within
by xXCrownofChaosXx
Summary: A brother and sister join Hollywood Arts but soon find out, that's the least of their problems as dark secrets become exposed. They kiss their normal lives goodbye as they learn that there's more to this school than just singing and acting. Love, friendships, and loyalties will be tested as the two try to just live a normal life. Rated M. Chpt. 58 is up!
1. Prologue

**After much consideration, I'm taking a short break to create a new story so that I don't succumb to writers block. I will be updating "Torque" very soon as well. I'm always getting new ideas for stories so I'm going to post this first then return to that story and just alternate between these two. I will not being discontinuing anything so please don't worry. So with that introduction done, it's time to let you all know our main character and then get you all the first chapter. I hope you all enjoy and review your opinions. No flames but constructive criticism is always welcome.**

* * *

 **Character Info:**

 **Liam Patterson: At the age of 5, he was separated from his parents in Florida in order to live with his uncle, who was less than thrilled to have to watch him. Over the years, Liam would find his childhood stolen as he was forced to be his uncle to be a glorified servant. Consider this, along with the fact that he constantly got into fights at school, and somehow, he accidentally found himself in an audition for Hollywood Arts. Dealing with his 'family' situation and schooling, he will soon find out all of that is the least of his problems.**

 **Name: Liam Alexander Patterson**  
 **Nickname: none**  
 **Age: 17**  
 **Gender: Male**  
 **Appearance:**  
 **Height: 6'1"**  
 **Weight: 175 lb**  
 **Build: Athletic/Slender**  
 **Eyes: Emerald**  
 **Hair: Long dreadlocks (usually kept tied in a tail at the top with the sides cut)**  
 **Skin: Ebony skin**  
 **Any tattoos, piercings or scar: long diagonal scar on his back, His sister, Ahrya's name on his inner bicep, "fear no evil" tattoo on his left pectoral.**  
 **Clothing:**  
 **1st: Straight legged jeans, fitted black short sleeved shirt w/ earth kanji on the front in green, rosary bracelet on his left wrist.**  
 **2nd: Baggy camouflage pants tucked into black combat boots, Forest green fitted hoodie (sleeves rolled up past the elbows), rosary bracelet on his left wrist.**  
 **3rd: Dark red fitted t-shirt, black jacket, straight legged jeans, black and red sneakers**  
 **Pajamas: (Usually shirtless but will wear a wife beater at times) black and red basket ball shorts or grey sweat pants**  
 **Formal: dark colored short sleeved dress shirts (w/black tie), black slacks along with matching dress shoes. Sometimes will wear a suit jacket**  
 **Personal:**  
 **Personality: Typically carefree and friendly around but shy around his crush. He's a bit secretive when it comes to his home life. When something is bothering him, he prefers to remain aloof and can come off as mean or mysterious. He can be an enigma to those not willing to understand his complexities.**  
 **Race: African/Brazilian-American**  
 **History: He's loved music since he was a child and learned how to play music at the age of 10. It was then that he was labeled a prodigy with perfect pitch. His talents carried him through to a scholarship to Hollywood Arts after graduating middle school. His specialty would be piano and the guitar. Despite his negative home life, he**  
 **Odd Fact: He has a soft spot for puppies, especially huskies.**  
 **Habit/Flaws: Despite his demeanor, he's actually nice and will help someone in need almost instantly. He gets nervous whenever his crush is around by blushing and stammering during conversations.**  
 **Chat name: MetaliQFang_15**  
 **Talents: Singing/Musician (guitar and piano)**  
 **Clique: Loner (no official clique)**  
 **Deepest Secret: He's a real softy once you get to know him though he'll desperately try to hide it unless you're really close to him.**  
 **How he decorate his locker: pictures of various neo-soul and r &b album covers**  
 **Likes: Music, Motorcycles, Dogs, Anime, Reading, Food, and his secret crush.**  
 **Dislikes: Bullying, Liars, and Vegetables.**  
 **Dream: To make it big either as a singer or musician so he can take his sister away and provide her everything she could want and need.**  
 **Relationships: Heterosexual**  
 **Family:**  
 **Uncle: He never knew his dad considering he adopted him when he was three years old. However, he does hold a great deal of resentment towards him. In the end, his feelings towards his uncle are complex to say the least.** **There is a major rift between the two that usually ends up in some form of abusive behavior. Due to the fact he blames him for his parents passing, their interactions are either kept short and abrupt or drawn out with profane language. He carries many hidden scars on his back and upper arms from these altercations**

 **Other: His relationship with his younger sister, Ahrya is the only positive relationship with his alternate family. She is actually his youngest cousin but after she was born, she immediately took to him positively and began calling him 'brother'. As they grew older, they were practically inseparable. Sometimes, it could appear inappropriate at times but they both know that their love is stemmed from the abuse they've witnessed and experienced. He would sacrifice his own life to ensure her happiness and safety. Despite his feelings towards his uncle, he only focuses on keeping her out of the cross hairs** **.**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Prologue**

Today was the day. The first day of school for Liam at his new school was pretty exciting for him despite the ungodly hour he had woken up to. His head was foggy as he rubbed his temples to alleviate the pressure. To his surprise, he heard the familiar shuffling of footsteps which brought a smile to his face. He slowly rose to his feet and stretched his limbs just as his door opened to reveal a short ebony girl yawning and rubbing her eyes.

"Hey there, Ahrya. What are you doing up so early?" he whispered softly. Her response was both predictable and adorable.

"I had a bad dream..." she whimpered. "...monsters were chasing me."

Liam did what any sensible and loving person would and scooped her in his arms and held her close. The two 'siblings' found themselves sharing their embrace for several minutes before she finally calmed down. Neither were alarmed at this as it would occur at least twice a week. Ahrya was prone to having nightmares and night terrors and he knew where the root was.

"Boy!" Both of their bodies tensed as the familiar thud of hard footsteps echoed throughout the small house. Liam fought the urge to grit his teeth as a rather imposing male entered his room. "Didn't you hear me calling you?" he hiccuped.

"Of course, Uncle." he responded politely only to narrowly duck a swift right hook.

"Then why didn't you respond the first time?" he yelled, causing both Liam and Ahrya to scowl in disgust. The level of alcohol in his system was practically dripping from his pores and it was overwhelming to say the least. "I need you to go down to the store and get some more food. The fridge is empty..."

As his sister shuffled behind him, Liam groaned inwardly while his left hand found itself raking through his dreadlocks.

"Are you kidding me?" frustration clear in his tone. "I just bought a months worth of food a couple of days ago!" His uncle scowled deeply before getting in Liam's face. His auburn eyes burned into his nephews emerald orbs, neither backing down. Only the soft whimper from Ahrya broke their glaring contest. The former licked his lips lustfully, the liquor clearly taking control of his entire system. Liam felt waves of fury welling up inside of him and sought an end to this. "Alright, we're going to the corner store and get some food. I'll pick up something for tonight after school." he stepped between the discernibly fearful Ahrya and the obviously intoxicated man before them.

Apparently, it was enough as the older man turned to leave but not before flashing a challenging glare to the equally determined Liam. They both listened as the footsteps faded down the hallway and a door slammed signalling this battle was won. Ahrya was the first to sigh in relief, though she didn't relinquish her grip on her 'brother's' t-shirt. He noticed this and realized what was about to happen. On cue, she found herself being sat down on his bed and hearing him hum her favorite song, "A Whole New World". Liam could feel her body shaking slightly but he continued to hum the song repeatedly until she was relaxed. Tears freely fell but for the most part, she was getting better. Soon, she found herself descending into dreamland, much to Liam's disdain.

He wasn't upset that she had fallen back asleep mere for that reason. It came back to his creepy uncle who always expressed a sick interest in his developing daughter. Over the years, they both grew up dealing with different forms of abuse from the man with whom they shared a home with. Truth be told, Liam absolutely hated leaving her alone with him for obvious reasons. In fact, her earlier episode was the direct result of her coping with her past. Ahrya would immediately have an internal anxiety attack while her body would seemingly shut down like a quadriplegic.

"Sleep tight. I'll be back..." he whispered as he pulled the covers over her prone form. She was lying peacefully and he would make sure to keep it that way. He scribbled something quickly and set it on the night stand next to the bed then locked the door. He made his way through the hall and, stepping into the morning twilight, dashed to the corner store to collect the necessary items needed to make breakfast.

'This is going to be a good day.' he mentally chanted every step of the way.

* * *

The morning traffic at Hollywood Arts was nothing new to Tori and her friends as they made their way towards their respective lockers. Among them, Jade made some snide comment about Tori's date the previous weekend ending disastrous when a spicy tuna ball landed in her hair. Beck and Andre rolled their eyes while Cat mentioned something about her brother eating a glue stick under the impression it was string cheese. Everyone stopped to stare at her with raised eyebrows.

"So, did you know we got some new students?" Tori broke the awkward silence. "This is pretty exciting, right?"

"Yeah. About as exciting as getting a root canal." Jade responded before taking a sip of her coffee.

The Latina simply stared at the brunette trying her hardest to figure out whether Jade West was being sarcastic or truly masochistic. Her answer came in the goth raising her eyebrows seductively which only served to confuse her even more.

"Well, Jade's comment aside, I can't wait to meet some of them. It'll be cool to meet the new blood's." Andre chimed in.

"Oh! My brother had to give blood one time. Unfortunately, he wound up being kicked out after he tried to drink it, thinking it was fruit punch."

Beck shook his head and asserted himself into the conversation. "I agree with Andre on this one. We should help the new kids feel at home here."

After a bit more chatter, they all agreed just as the bell began to ring, signalling their first period classes.

"Alright, so we'll meet at the black box after they complete orientation alright?" they murmured something before disappearing down the halls.

* * *

"So, I would like to welcome you all to Hollywood Arts and hope you all shoot for the stars!" An excited and balding man exclaimed before taking a sip of what appeared to be a coconut. His movements were erratic and borderline outrageous for a man his age, but the new recruits didn't bother to openly address it. "Now, if you happen to have any questions, you can find our school's guidance counselor, Lane's office down the hall from Principal Helen's office on the east wing. Feel free to drop in."

A bored Liam sat next to his sister who was practically stricken with fascination at the weird coconut man. This was the first time she was genuinely excited about something without having an episode and it was more than enough to bring a light grin to his lips. Her hazel eyes followed the man, who earlier introduced himself as Mr. Sikowitz, like a hawk while he concluded his explanations.

"Lastly, at the end of the month, you'll all be required to participate in the Kickback Showcase. This is your first chance at making an impression on your peers. Your talents and gifts will be on full display and your performance will be added to your first quarterly grade. I'm sure you all will do well. Now, considering this is your first day, you'll all start your classes tomorrow. Feel free to explore the campus, get to know your schedules, find electives that you'd like to be a part of, make some new friends, or whatever." he laughed before walking off stage, leaving them all to figure exactly what they wanted to do. Ahrya and Liam looked at one another before grabbing their bags and exiting the auditorium.

"I wonder what you'll do big bro." she nudged his ribs earning a grunt in response.

Liam simply rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Hell if I know." his humorless tone was enough to prompt her concern. Before she could inquire further, he opened his mouth to continue. "Remember, I just happened to get in the school purely by luck. I was in the right place at the right time... You're the one who wanted to join this school from the start. I'm just sort of winging it at this point..."

Letting out a pout, she grabbed his arm, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. Liam looked back only to find her shaking slightly. His eyes widened and he sighed and softened his gaze. Tears threatened to spill out but were held back as he hugged her and began humming. Fortunately, he only had to hum it once before she calmed down. He was relieved that they avoided her freaking out while at school. To say it would be difficult to explain that would be an understatement.

"I'm sorry." he whispered just as their bodies separated. It was evident that their concern and level of caring was off the charts as they were always able to tell what was wrong with the other, even without uttering a single word. Ahrya shook her head looked at her the boy she knew as her big brother.

"It's alright." she sighed. "I just freaked out because... you were so excited about being accepted here and it was kind of heartbreaking seeing you not believe in yourself."

Liam scratched the back of his neck sheepishly at her confession and felt severely crappy after hearing it. He took a deep breath and nodded at her, showing that he understood. "You're right. I'm just nervous about being here is all. But I promise you, I'm going to give me best here alright?" Ahrya smirked and held her fist out to him which he responded by bumping his own against hers. They then proceeded to find their respective classes first before making their way to the grub truck.

"It's going to be a good day." he muttered just out of range of his sister's hearing.

* * *

As lunch time commenced, Ahrya found herself going to the Black Box Theatre for an audition for an upcoming play. It was surprising just how much confidence she had when she wasn't worrying about their uncle or even him to a lesser extent. She was just like anyone else and it was a pleasant thought to know she was happy here. His thoughts were interrupted when he accidentally bumped into something... or rather someone.

"Oof!" he stumbled back a bit before noticing the pale skinned girl frowning across from him. He opened his mouth to apologize only to notice everyone nearby grew silent and were frozen like statues. "Sorry about that..."

Rolling her eyes, the girl simply turned around and began to walk away, much to everyone's relief. "Watch where you're going, loser!"

To the astonishment (or fear, depending on how you view the situation) of everyone, Liam spoke up. "Maybe you should watch where YOU'RE going.." he growled.

She stopped abruptly at the response from this no name student. shifting her body, she flashed her signature scowl and stormed back towards the boy who stood his ground. Her azure eyes flashed from annoyed to full out anger as she was now mere inches from what the other students believed to be her next victim. "I'm sorry. I don't think I heard you... You mind repeating that?" 

"I think you heard me quite clearly. I was about to apologize until you started acting like a prick." he crossed his arms, his face unreadable.

This was a first for Jade. Normally, she was used to others cowering and/or running for the hills if they found themselves the unlucky soul to be caught in her warpath. Considering she'd never seen him around campus, she assumed (correctly) that he was one of the newbies to arrive and needed to be shown the ropes. It was truly her day as she scanned the area only to find no sign of Beck or the others around. She was free to show this guy what happens when you cross Jade West. With a sly grin, she reached behind her skirt and rushed at him only to find him mirror her actions.

"What are you two doing?!" a male voice broke though the sea of students. Taking their gazes from one another, they noticed the situation they were currently in. Liam could feel the sharpened tip of a rather long pair of scissors against his Adam's apple while Jade found an equally sharp hunters knife pressed against her jugular. "You both! Principal's office, NOW!"

'This was supposed to be a good day...' Liam mentally groaned.

* * *

 **Okay, I feel the need to clear up a few things before I officially end this chapter.**

 **1\. no there will not be any incest between Ahrya and Liam. They are cousins but grew up as siblings. Liam is the only one who knows the truth about their relation to one another. Their uncle is Ahrya's father biologically but adopted Liam after his parents death.**

 **2\. Ahrya's condition is triggered whenever she's under direct stress that could potentially lead to any form of abuse. This includes implied sexual abuse, physical assault to herself or Liam. She internally has seizures or panic attacks which shuts her body down completely on the outside. She will still know what is going on around her but can't actively react. This is how she handles the stress without freaking out. The only thing that seems to calm her is the song "A Whole New World" from Disney's Aladdin, her favorite movie. Outside of her uncle's abusive nature to her and Liam, or Liam's self inflicted psychological abuse, she is completely normal around others.**

 **3\. Despite her being the first, it is not confirmed that Jade and Liam will be a couple. I honestly, haven't thought about who he would paired with. The same thing applies to Ahrya. She was actually supposed to be a minor character who helps with Liam's development but I've grown fond of her character so I will keep her around for a bit. I may keep her for the entire story depending on how it goes further down the road but she'll be a main character for as long as she's around. The same thing applies to her being shipped as well...**

 **4\. As for the direction of the story, there will be supernatural powers in this fiction. No transformations or anything but definite powers will be utilized by Liam, Ahrya, and the others. If you want to know what powers they'll have, stay tuned to the next chapter and find out. Liam's will be revealed and the gangs as well. Ahrya having powers may or may not be a thing as, stated earlier, she wasn't originally intended to be a main character but a supporting one. Whether she's given powers or not, she'll still play a big role.**

 **I believe this is all for this chapter. I've been working on spacing and setting a scene rather than pushing to get to the big parts and it's a WIP so bare with me on that. I'll get better as I continue to write this and my other project, Torque. Give that a read if you haven't and, like this, feel free to leave your reviews and constructive criticisms for that too. Have a good morning/night and see you guys and gals next time.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Demon's Within**

 **Chapter 1: Underestimations are Overwhelming**

Liam slouched in his seat, a mixture of frustration and adrenaline creating a storm throughout every fiber of his being. Next him, Jade West sat with arms and legs crossed. Neither would face each other, let alone speak with one another after the outbreak nearly escalated in the courtyard earlier. Various students passed them by, murmurs and whispers aplenty, and it only served to drag the time to a snails crawl. Behind the door to Principal Helen's office, a flustered man continued to prattle on about 'deviant behavior' and 'endangering the student body'. While neither seemed to show any sign of remorse, Jade took a moment to cut her gaze at the guy who dare challenge her dominance. Taking in his profile, she could detect the faint stubble on his defined chin and jawline. With his jacket stripped from him, she could tell that he was well in shape. His dark blue shirt practically hugged his body perfectly, eliciting a slight blush from her. Her eyes began to wander a bit until he turned his gaze over to her.

"Can I help you?" she could feel no emotion in his voice as he simply raised an eyebrow, a flash of disinterest on his face.

Although she was taken aback, she regained her composure. Gone was the sense of wonder, replaced only with arrogance and pride.

"You most certainly can." she replied with a mocking tone. "You can help by not breathing." Even she felt her words were a bit harsh, but she couldn't allow herself to back down. She wasn't about to let this wannabe tough guy one-up her again. It was petty at this point. Still, she just accepted the 'old habits die hard' motto and pressed. "I don't know what run down school you come from, but there are some ground rules here that you need to know." Jade took a pause to see if he'd give a snarky reply only to find his head being propped up on his fist. His expression, at first glance retained its bored expression but, when she analyzed further, she could detect the hint of... amusement? She mentally shook off the nonsensical idea and chose to resume her lecturing. "Rule number one: I'm at the top of the food chain here. I don't care how big and bad you thought you were at your old school. These hallways all fear me... I'm top dog."

"So, what's rule two?" he yawned,rather abruptly, completely ignoring the fierce glare she was flashing at him.

Jade simply smirked her signature evil smirk. "Follow that first rule, and the rest will come naturally..."

For the first time since meeting him, she watched his lips curve upwards into a smug grin. This would begin to cause her to finally break her iron grip on her face as her eyes widened once again. He was still thinking this was a game and it was driving her crazy to no end. She was Jade West! Everyone who wasn't in her signature circle feared her very presence and yet, this guy wasn't even flinching. The only other person who challenged her was her boyfriend, Beck but even he would resign to her will every so often. This was blatant disregard she was witnessing and it was building her interest in him.

"I'm more than happy to show you the consequences again." she taunted.

Things seemed to be going south as the sounds of chuckles caused the brunette's lips to twist into a tight frown. Her next move at this point would be to pull out a hidden pair of scissors but they were all confiscated earlier by the guidance counselor. In the midst of her reminiscing, the office door opened to reveal Lane, Mr. Sikowitz, and a clearly irritated Helen. Neither said a word as the three turned their attention towards them.

"Liam, you've managed to get involved in an altercation that could've resulted in injury or even death..." a worried Lane began. "...that's not to say that you are solely to blame. Jade, you have a past of inciting these altercations whenever you're put on the spot. You both have to learn to channel your issues through positive means."

Both looked at one another in an attempt to make sense of his babbling when Helen stepped forward.

"What this means is that you both will be serving detention, effective immediately." seeing no reaction, the Principal furrowed her brow. "Also, in lieu of expulsion for using deadly weapons, Sikowitz has spoken on your behalf's and suggested you both participate in the showcase as part of your punishment."

"What?!/Are you kidding me?" Jade and Liam both yelled respectively.

A stone faced Helen nodded and began to head back to her office. "I suggest that you both find a duet and get to rehearsing. You'll be barred from participating in any other extracurricular activities until after the Kickback. Lastly, you two are required to attend duel counseling with Lane once a week. Now, head over to your respective classes and report to the Black Box after your final lessons."

Without another word, both students would flash one more dirty look before grabbing their bags and heading towards their next class, which coincidentally, they shared. Both men let out a flustered sigh as they could hear Jade's voice echo down the hall as she mentioned about 'being followed'.

"This is going to be an interesting rest of the year..." Lane chuckled.

"I dread the day they 'partnership' disintegrates..." Sikowitz grumbled in response as he made his way to his classroom, leaving behind an amused guidance counselor.

* * *

Tori Vega waited by her locker alongside Andre and Cat who was saying something about unicorns and ketchup when Beck Oliver and Robbie Shapiro (w/Rex) arrived from around the corner. She signaled them over only to flash a confused gaze.

"Um... not that I'm complaining, but where's Jade?" she asked.

While Robbie shrugged, Beck rolled his eyes. "Apparently, she got caught threatening one of the new students who stood up to her and is supposed to be serving detention. She probably won't be joining us in meeting the others." he rubbed the back of his neck, ignoring the look of terror from Andre, Tori, Robbie, and even Cat. It was no secret that Beck's girlfriend had a nasty temper, but to know she literally threatened someone's life and more so, that poor soul thought it best to test her in the first place...? This was unheard of...

"Well, I hope that person isn't traumatized too much." Tori muttered much to Beck's chagrin.

"To be honest, I hope he learned his lesson..." he retorted. "...he should've known better than that."

This prompted the group (yes even Rex) to look at him as if he'd grown a second head. It was one thing for Beck to downplay Jade's actions but to blatantly justify actions such as that was a step too far. Unfortunately, before they could press the issue further, Tori's pear pad went off, signalling it was time to head to the theatre. The atmosphere of uneasiness would only serve as a stepping stone as they crossed the threshold into the room, nobody really letting Beck's words slip through the cracks. That, however, would have to wait as they were met with the various chatter of various new students, including one Ahrya who was actually flashing attention towards one person in particular.

* * *

"This can't get any worse..." a certain goth mumbled while staring as some random poster that depicted a kitten clinging to a rope while the words: 'Hang in there' were plastered over it. If that wasn't enough to make Jade want to puke in her mouth, she was reminded of her predicament as the sounds of yawning snapped her from her self induced trance. Ever since the last bell rang, the two didn't utter a single word to the other and for once, there was peace between the two. Liam, who was currently slumped in his chair, exhaled as he scanned his surroundings in an attempt to stave off the boredom that threatened to engulf him. Aside from the pale skinned girl on the other side of the room, the only other thing that piqued his interest was a large grand piano.

"What the hell..." he said to himself while approaching it.

Despite practically hating the guy, Jade found her attention drawn to him sitting at the piano only to scoff as he appeared to be confused after hitting a random key. It seemed that her hunch was correct about him. In her eyes, he was no better than that no talented hack whom she labeled: The Other Vega. Of course she was referring to one Trina Vega who she heard managed to be ill received even by new recruits. That thought actually made her grin softly, knowing that someone else's misery could pull her out of her own funk. But, that sense of contentment would be short lived as she heard a few cords being played flawlessly.

"What the?" she whispered as she found Liam playing a song with minimum difficulty. It started off simple with a few stray keys that sounded like something a kindergarten student could play after a couple of lessons. However, she was stunned to hear various chords being played in unity and harmony. His fingers found their desired keys without fail and she couldn't help but sense a bit of familiarity from whatever he was playing. The song he was playing would only grow more complicated as his face was contorted into a determined frown, a frown of determination aimed at hitting every note flawlessly. As he neared the end, his frown softened to a grin until the last key was hit. 'It seems I stand corrected.'

"-Alright?" was all she heard as she was pulled from her inner thoughts.

"What?"

"I asked if you were alright?" he waved a hand in front of her face only to find his wrist shoved towards him. "Yep, you're alright." he droned.

Jade quickly turned around to avoid him seeing her blush from embarrassment. It was becoming a recurring theme for her on this day, which only served to strengthen her resolve. "Yeah, I'm fine... I was just surprised that you actually have talent."

Liam simply smirked and chose not to instigate another war of words with the girl, thinking it best to just take the compliment that was buried in her insult instead. "Thanks... Jade." he replied before he resumed playing the piano, much to Jade's secret delight until the bell rang. As they collected their things, Jade stopped just short of the door and turned her attention back to her challenger. "Liam, right?" he simply nodded. "I liked that first song you played... What is the name of it?"

Shrugging, he looked away for a moment. "In America, it's called Sanctuary but in Japan it's simply Passions by a woman name Utada Hikaru. I could play another song from her tomorrow if it not too much of an annoyance to you." he teased only to find her gaze harden just slightly. Clearly the tension was still there from the day and he knew it best to cut his losses for the day. Much to his surprise, she didn't try to attack him, choosing instead to turn and walk away without another word. Unknown to him, she was once again suppressing a giggle. Yes, Jade West can giggle. Her inner musings were broken once her pear phone rang and Beck's name flashed over the screen. She picked up after the second ring and found herself rushing down the hall.

* * *

Liam, who was still trying to process the day, had went looking for his sister so they could head home and work on their homework. He wasn't too thrilled to return to the hell hole he called home but it was the only place he could go given the circumstances. He managed to find his locker, still blank at this point, but was stopped when he heard what appeared to be various boys laughing. Against his better judgement, he followed the sounds, careful not to alert anyone just in case he had to fight. After cutting a couple of corners, he could see multiple male shadows hovering over another shadow that looked to be kneeling inside of an abandoned classroom. He slipped inside, hiding behind an old busted cabinet that allowed him to remain just out of sight should anyone enter or exit the room.

"Man, you're as good as they say." One of the boys gloated as he adjusted his pants. "I can see why you've managed to stay in Hollywood Arts all of this time."

'The hell did I just walk into?' he asked himself as another boy slapped the kneeling figure. "I'm so glad we got to come here.. Our first day, and already we're getting some good brain from a slut without one." he laughed. Liam continued to watch as the other two remaining boys, were stroking themselves until they reached their climaxes. The disgusting scene concluded with the figure, which he later figured to be a girl, meowing amidst various slaps from the boys. He wanted to do something to help her but his instincts always taunt him to wait until he knew for sure what was going on. From the looks of things, while the girl looked dejected, she was still a willing participant in the shameful act. Soon, the four left the room after tossing some money at her and 'thanking' her for a 'good time'..

What happened next nearly broke his heart.

"I'm going to be a star..." he barely heard her chant. "I'm going to be a star."

He listened to her chant her mantra a few more times before stepping out from his hiding place. Predictably, she froze in her spot with a terror filled gaze. She wanted to run but found her legs unable to move as if rooted to that spot. She was like a deer in headlights as he walked towards her, unsure of his purpose for being here in the first place. This room was originally shut down after they built the Black Box to replace it. It was much smaller than the theatre but still retained the old rows of seats along with some worn down stage curtains and two lone functioning spotlights, one of which was pointing directly down on her. Her heart was basically crashing thunderous blows to her rib cage as he knelt down in front of her. With her face still dripping from her earlier 'activities', shame only seemed to grow in strength within her as he inspected her. Not only that, but she was wearing only a pair of pink panties at the moment; her clothes were tossed aside along the rear portion of the stage.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice exuding genuine concern. "Are you hurt badly?"

Before she could answer, she was startled to see a face cloth being wiped across her face. Soon, her face was completely devoid of male bodily fluids. She continued to cover her breasts with her arms while he grabbed her bra. He turned away and rushed to get her scattered clothes to allow her some privacy. While he was a guy dealing with hormones and puberty, he wasn't a pervert. After closer inspection, he noticed her top was torn in several spots and thus unsuitable to wear without something over it. Once he returned the clothing, he could hear her groan in disbelief and sorrow.

"I just bought this the other day..." she said, dejectedly.

"I'm sorry your shirt got torn but here.." the girl turned around to narrowly miss his jacket from hitting her in the face. Without a second thought, she zipped the jacket up, thankful that she didn't have to sneak through the school with a shirt that exposed her bosom. "Now, I ask again. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." she huffed as her eyes traveled downward to the ground.

"I don't think so. You were practically raped by those assholes. I hardly consider that just 'fine'." While he tried to come off as angry, his voice betrayed him. He knew all too well what that was. It was abuse, pure and simple. "Plus, those guys were new recruits like me. What the hell was that um..."

"Trina Vega..."

He stopped his yelling after hearing her haggard voice. He let out a sigh of exasperation while helping her off of the stage. "I'm Liam and I apologize for snapping on you like that." He took special notice at how much effort she put into averting her gaze from his own. It was no doubt that she was used to this lifestyle or at least was getting used to acts like that. The reality of this was making his blood boil but he fought the urges to search and kill at least for now. "Let's get out of here." he suggested and she quickly agreed.

After gathering their belongings, Liam led her to the parking lot only to find it completely empty save for his car. He looked around for his sister but was relieved to find a note had been left under his wiper.

Liam,

I got a ride home with some new friends.

I'll be at home when you get out of school.

I also have a new phone coming in the mail today so I'll text you once I get it up and running.

Ahrya

Knowing she was safe, Liam was able to calm down as he turned his attention back to Trina who was clutching the jacket, no doubt still feeling ashamed.

"Hey, I'll give you ride home, unless you have one coming." she shook her head. "Hop in and I'll take you then." he smiled softly at the full figured girl. She complied and stepped inside and soon they were off to her place of residence. It was mostly a quiet ride unless his passenger uttered a direction or two. The nerve racking atmosphere was almost too much to bare until she pointed to a house. He pulled into the drive way and shifted the gear into park. He would find himself startled as Trina's hands found themselves on his belt buckle only for her to feel him swat her hands away. "What are you doing?" he asked, a mix of uncertainty and anger laced his voice.

Trina nearly cowered away but remained in her seat. "I was about to thank you for the ride home." she said as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "Isn't that why you drove me home?"

"What? No!"

Suddenly, her eyes blazed with anger. "Come on. You're telling me that you just gave me a ride home just to be nice?! I'm not buying it.." she snapped back. "Let me guess. You want your blowjob later down the road? Is that it? Or maybe you'd like to share me like those cunts back at school?! Just tell me the truth!" Liam could see tears freely pouring down her face as she unloaded her aggression on him. "I know you only see me like everyone else: A slut who'll do anything to be relevant in that school! I do what I have to do in order to survive.." she was full out sobbing at this point and Liam allowed her to. After everything else that happened today, he wasn't about to just disregard someone in need. As she continued to cry, she felt a warmness engulf her body. Looking up, she noticed her vision was blocked by the form of Liam who was... hugging her?

"I'm sorry, but you don't owe me anything. Contrary to your words, I did this because you needed help. I'm not here to get anything from you, Trina." He held her in his embrace until her sobs turned to random sniffles. He didn't release the hug until he was sure that she was better. By this point, the sun had completely disappeared behind the hills of Hollywood. Only the stars above lit the night sky as the two strangers awaited the next move. Trina would watch as he pulled out a sheet of paper and scribbled something on it. "Here's my number, call me anytime if you need to talk okay?"

She took the sheet only to flash a questionable look at him.

"Why are you doing all of this for me?" she asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

He simply grinned. "Well since it is my first day, I was hoping I'd just made a friend."

Once again Trina felt the familiar tears stinging her eyes but she fought them back with all her remaining power. She smiled weakly and pulled her phone from her purse. She quickly registered his number and called it, watching as he did the same. They even exchanged TheSlap names so they could message one another as well. With a yawn that even Liam had to admit was adorable to him, Trina opened the door and thanked him for the ride. He eyed her as she headed to the door but was a bit confused when she returned to and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He didn't get a chance to say anything as she waved goodbye and soon, disappeared inside the house. After seeing she was inside safe, he started the car and pulled out of the drive-way, heading to his own home.

It was a weird day to say the least, but after nearly having his life threatened, getting detention with a cute goth girl, who may or may not hate him, he actually made a friend, although after dubious introductions. He hadn't meant to snoop around but in the end he was glad he did. Hopefully, he could be a good friend to Trina Vega. Turning on the radio, he jammed out to some old school love song as he neared his home.

Back at the Vega residence, Trina had just stepped out of the shower completely clean and refreshed after a long and soothing bath. It was much needed after the day she was having. She didn't want to think about it but found it necessary in order to remember the only positive to her day. "Liam..." she fawned quietly as she dressed in her favorite Hello Kitty T-shirt and Pajama pants. There was only one thing to do as she grabbed her phone and saw she had a few notifications. The first one was about a few status updates from creepers like Sinjin but one stuck out to her.

 **[METALIQFANG_15]**

 **{Weird day but glad to have met a cute friend.}**

She fanned herself at how someone actually called her cute without there being a condition to it. She wasted no time in liking the status and then wrote one of her own before logging off. She removed the notifications pertaining to private messages, all of which were for soliciting sexual deeds from her. She rolled her eyes only to stop at a text message. She opened it to find a picture of two teddy bears hugging. Underneath it, were the words. Goodnight Trina :)

"It's nice to have someone who I can actually have as a respectable contact." she giggled.

She sent a reply to him then prepared for bed. Unfortunately, her plans had to be put on hold as another message popped up resulting in her smile to fade.

 **[Master]**

 **Hope you satisfied your new customers. Lining up more soon.**

This was enough for Trina Vega to curl up into a ball and weep silently until she fell unconscious.

This new friendship was going to be a challenge for her but she knew she had to make it work...

She just had to...

* * *

 **Okay, so I was actually able to get this out less than 48 hours after the first chapter. I'm very shocked at how quickly I was able to put all of this together. I thank you all who read the prologue and especially to Linkonpark100 for the review. I'm hopefully getting better with the spacing out of events. I'm trying to only use time skips when they are best in progressing the story. Speaking of which, let's get into that too.**

 **First off, like I mentioned, I am not pushing Liam into any relationships for a bit. There will be a ton of interactions like this throughout the series and hopefully will keep you all guessing. I would also like to point out that this story will be dark at times but will perk up as well. This is why Liam meets Trina the way he does. Originally he was going to see her during a rehearsal where he has to warm up to her over time but given the direction I took with him and Jade's meeting, I thought it would be overkill for him to have to work towards two possible friendships.**

 **Jade IS dating Beck in this story for the time being, unless I break them up. I want to give Beck some depth as a character considering he was that 'captain justice' bland character type. Here he will exhibit signs that will give you all ideas of where his head is really at.**

 **Finally, the big question from the cliff hanger: Who is the mysterious 'Master' contact who's over Trina? I'm actually running an OC contest where whoever guesses their identity will have their OC added to the story as a main character. I won't be revealing the identity for a while so the contest will start officially after the next update. Feel free to drop a review if you have an idea. If you're correct, I'll let you know and you'll be entered. All correct answers will be mentioned after their identity has been revealed.**

 **I hope you all enjoy this chapter and keep sending in those reviews and constructive criticisms.**

 **Goodnight/Morning and Enjoy your day/night.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Demon's Within**

 **Chapter 2: Frozen Flames of the Abyss**

It had been about a week since the first day of school, and the halls of Hollywood were abuzz with various conversations when Liam and Ahrya walked through the front door. It was still surreal for them both as they made their way to their lockers. It would've been more pleasant had Ahrya not spent the entire ride scolding him about getting in trouble the day prior. Now he was practically trudging as she droned on and on about 'fixing his attitude' and 'shaping up'. To his relief, they arrived shortly only to find a crowd of students were surrounding the spot where their lockers (still blank at this point).

"What the hell is this all about?" Liam groaned just before pushing his way through the sea of students. To his surprise, he found a sight not foreign to him. "Trina?"

In front of him, Trina Vega was on her knees crying while her peers taunted and jeered at her. Before he could inquire further, his eyes trailed upwards to see the words "slut" and "Whore" written along her locker. Alongside the hurtful words, Liam could see lewd photos of her from the previous day in the abandoned theatre room. His blood boiled as his eyes scanned down the many pictures of his new friend from various unflattering angles. The chorus of laughs from his classmates combined with Trina's sobs were enough to set him off. His blood boiled as he ripped the pictures off like a mad man. Instinctively, the students began to shuffle back as he turned his glare towards them. Soon, only a nervous Ahrya remained as she watched her brother kneel down next to a still whimpering Trina.

"Are you okay, Trina?" his calm voice contrasting his nearly feral attitude earlier. "They're all gone." he smiled softly and opened his arms hug the girl.

However, Trina didn't reciprocate the gesture and simply pushed his away, running off down the hallway and leaving a confused Liam and Ahrya behind. As the two tried to make sense of things, the siblings were unaware of someone watching them with a rising interest. He continued watching before lurking behind another set of lockers; on his face rested a dark grin at what he had witnessed.

"It seems that we have another one.." he pondered; his voice smooth as ice. "...he could definitely be beneficial or a hindrance depending on how thing play out. I'll have to keep a close eye on him and see where this goes." he pulled out his phone, intent on reporting his observation as he made his departure.

Trina continued running until she was in the Black Box Once she was out of sight, she quietly entered the theatre intent on remaining there for as long as possible. It was a good thing she was beginning her free period, as she hid behind the main curtain, knees pressed firmly against her chest as she silently weeps. She wasn't upset about what the other kids did. No. She was so emotional because of what Liam did.

"Why did you have to stand up for me?" she whispered as her eyes were fixated on the hardwood base of the stage. She couldn't fathom why anybody, let alone someone as sweet as him would risk establishing their status in the school for her. It was no surprise that after being labeled the school whore, that Trina had developed severely low self esteem. Her mind went back to all the times she was called 'untalented', 'waste of space', and of course failing miserably with each attempt to prove everyone wrong only cemented their affirmations within her core. It didn't help when Tori arrived at Hollywood Arts by complete accident. She then became known as the 'untalented sister' who couldn't even pass as her shadow.

Soon she would feel the weight of everything pushing her further into her pit of despair as her own inner demons began to haunt her.

 **'Whore...'**

 **'Slut.'**

She buried her face in her knees. It was happening again...

 **'Nobody likes you.'**

The voices began to sound so familiar. That last one had the voice of Jade West.

 **'You should quit and do what you're good at.'**

 **'You're so annoying...!'**

Tears began to well up as her breath hitched in her throat. Suddenly, she heard a 'ping' and slowly pulled out her phone. Her eyes widen in shock as she checked her notifications. It simply read:

 **METALIQFANG_15 (43 notifications)**

She checked through each one and found that these were spaced out between the night before and early today. From pictures to standard updates, Trina Vega could feel the dark clouds beginning to dissipate. She would scroll down the comments under certain pictures, ignoring the negative ones and could feel a blush appearing as she read the encouraging one's left by Liam. Some were straight forward compliments, others were responses to negative ones, but one truly caught her attention. Under her picture where she was dressed up for an year in dance last year, it read:

 **[METALIQFANG_15]**

 **Aqua is certainly your color. Keep your head up and don't settle for less than what you deserve.**

"Why was I so mean to you?" she asked no one in particular.

"I could ask you the same question, Trina.."

She shot up to see dark rose eyes staring down at her.

"We have much to discuss."

She could only cower as she remained petrified under his gaze. His wicked grin shined brightly despite the shroud of blackness that enveloped the two.

Ahrya and Liam sat in Sikowitz's class, the latter continuing to sneak glances at his phone. After what transpired, he sent a few messages to Trina in hopes of receiving a response of any kind. He constantly asked himself if he truly crossed any lines while the man rambled on about the line-up for the upcoming showcase. His sister did her best to focus while cutting her gaze every so often towards her distracted brother. Fortunately, she had managed to take plenty of notes during the lecture. Behind them, Tori Vega took notice of Liam as well, trying to figure the guy out. She had met Ahrya along with the other new students except for him and that would be the driving force behind her curiosity. She spent the majority of the period trying to read him but found that he was more of a conundrum than a book.

She was the resident star of the school, beloved by many and relished in being liked. Though she was far from arrogant, she definitely enjoyed where she sat on the food chain. In all honesty, she was mostly unreachable when it came to roles in plays or being scouted for dates and that led her to tone down her over-achieving status. This time around, she simply wanted to get to know somebody without the pomp and circumstance.

"Tori Vega!" an excitable Sikowitz called out, starling her. "Please step forward for the scene."

The class watched as a now unprepared Tori shuffled to the front.

"Now you will be matched up with..." the man took a sip of his coconut milk while scanning across the room. "Jade West!"

It wasn't astonishing to anyone that Tori and Jade were essentially performance rivals yet still frenemies in every sense of the word. It was the traditional case of Jade smirking deviously, Tori groaning softly, they find some form of conflict that would later be resolved, THE END. As the duo prepared as best they could, they were interrupted by Sikowitz.

"I'm not satisfied with this pairing. Perhaps we need more than just the two of you." Once more, he would peer around the classroom at the seemingly attentive students, particularly, the newer ones. While many of them exhibited signs of uncertainty at the idea of acting alongside two of the strongest actors in the school. there was one who caught the balding man's eye. "Mr. Patterson!" he joyously called. "Come on up to the front and join Tori, Jade-" his instructions were cut off when none other than Trina Vega waltzed in. It was a surprise to everyone to find her in the classroom but she managed to ignore them. She was wearing a pair of overly large movie star glasses and a stone like expression that made her almost unrecognizable to Liam. It didnt go unnoticed how his classmates, including Ahrya, quickly shifted their faces into firm frowns, Jade's being the most evident.

Sikowitz thought it best to at least attempt to break the tension, though his annoyed demeanor was as obvious as the others.

"Trina, what are you doing in my class?" he massaged his temples.

Trying her best to ignore the whispers, she simply pulled a note from her designer jeans, handing it to him. Without another word, she shuffled out of the room but not before looking back in Liam's direction with a sorrow filled smile. The other students would then turn their gazes towards a confused Liam as if to ask 'what was that all about?' but the class bell rang, saving him from any further wary eyes. Sikowitz barked out a few instructions pertaining to homework and the like but motioned for the young man to stay behind. This left Jade and Tori to look at one another as they made their way to their next class.

"Liam, we need to discuss your future here at Hollywood Arts once the showcase concludes. I'm a bit concerned with the direction you plan to take once you finish your duet with Jade."

"I um.." he scratched his head. "...I never really gave much thought about my future."

He watched as Sikowitz sipped his coconut before continuing. "I was afraid of that.. It seems you just need a little push to get you started. I'll be having a few auditions for several projects after this month. You get to decide on which project you'd like to be involved in be it a play that I just wrote, a talent show, or a dance recital. You are allowed to participate in one or all of these choices but it is mandatory that you pick at least one as it will heavily impact your grade. I'll give you until the end of the week after the showcase for your answer."

The nervousness was obvious as Liam visibly gulped. To his amazement, the balding teacher let out a hearty laugh.

"Relax my boy! You'll be fine. Just give it some thought while you focus on the task at hand. Hopefully, you and Ms. West are getting along and on your way to knocking the crowd dead. Not literally of course..."

"Y-yeah..." he responded with uncertainty. "I actually have a few songs to show her at lunch so.. finger's crossed." he chuckled weakly.

"Excellent! Now skedaddle off to class and reach for the stars, my young star."

* * *

A transparently annoyed Jade groaned as she fiddled through her scissor decorated locker. She found her books for her afternoon classes and slammed the door, prompting any unfortunate soul to scurry along as quickly as their feet could carry them. She simply rolled her eyes and forged her way towards the Black Box Theatre when the sound of piano keys playing caught her ears. She continued on until she reached the front door. It was at the moment, it stopped momentarily just as she placed her hand on the door frame. Her nerves were on edge as she found herself growing more and more nervous as time seemed to become irrelevant. Once she realized what she was doing, she shook the feelings off and entered conveniently as the music started again.

When she entered, she noticed that it was in fact Liam playing on the standard grand piano usually hidden behind the secondary curtain. He didn't seem to notice her arrival as he continued playing for a few more moments then took a breath.

 **I've been looking for my missing piece**

 **Been waiting to meet her. Now that I see her, I feel complete.**

Jade's eyes were the size of golf balls at the sight before her. 'Seems he's full of surprises..' she mused as he continued.

 **Now I ain't gonna lie, I've been around and I broke a heart, or two**

 **Didn't mean to make them cry, but I was just searching to find... to find you, now that you're here, you can slow down.**

 **I got you..**

 **So you don't need to do this by yourself.**

The words and the amount of emotions combined had Jade locked into every note sung. This guy was much more than she'd given him credit for. She even put him on par with Andre, Cat, and herself (and to a lesser extent, Vega).

 **You can be a superhero**

 **You don't need to save the world**

 **I know you can do it all but you don't have to**

Jade could feel the sincerity in his words and that sent chills down her spine. He was showing so much passion that it was no surprise that she had managed to make it up on the stage behind him. She then felt a strange sensation run through her core. It was almost as if she had grown to respect him not just as a person but as a singer and musician.

 **Cause, if you're doing everything, then how does that leave room for me?**

 **Guys just want to be the guy with the girl who wants to be his girl...**

At that moment, she began to live up to her moniker and clapped softly, just loud enough for Liam to stumble along the keys and look back with a panicked look etched on his face. He clutched his chest only to exhale sharply once he confirmed who it was.

"Oh, it's you Jade." he grumbled amidst her triumphant giggle. "Didn't anyone tell you that it's rude to sneak up on people?"

Crossing her arms, she tapped a finger on her chin about three times playfully, before shrugging. "Didn't occur to me. Then again, following the rules were never my forte." Her reply predictably earned her an eye roll, much to her delight.

"Honestly, it's like you survive on causing misery." he argued, although his tone had a teasing manner which didn't go unnoticed by her. It was uncanny how in the span of about a week, she found herself being somewhat friendly to someone she considered an annoyance. It was as if a certain charm in had gone unnoticed up to this point. However, she didn't have time to dwell on her piqued interest as reality set in for the both of them.

"Yeah, well we have to perform a song for the showcase and fortunately, you're paired with the best so you can ride my coat tails to a passing grade." she noted with a smug tone lacing her words. This only seemed to spark something inside Liam, resulting in their earlier tension resuming its charge over the two.

"Listen Jade, I don't know what you're used to but I don't ride anybodies coat tails." his voice had a cold bitterness behind it despite never raising his voice. He stood up from the piano and walked towards the goth who was now contemplating whether or not to pull another hidden pair of scissors on him. "While I respect you, don't take that for weakness, alright? I don't mind singing a duet with you but I will not be your sidekick. Either we pass as partners, or we fail as a divided unit."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was Jade freaking West! Nobody, not even Beck dared talk to her like she was an impressionable child. That was blasphemous. That was a death wish waiting to happen. Yet, in some twisted way, Jade found herself... attracted to that. There was something about the situation she was in that made her want to jump his bones, and the tint of pink found it's way on her porcelain cheeks as her signature smirk returned. 'Maybe he's not so bad after all.' she concluded. Ever the cautious one, Liam had learned quickly that while an angry Jade was dangerous in and of itself, a smirking Jade was an evil Jade. He knew to stay on his toes whenever she did so as it meant her next move would be swift and unpredictable.

"Fine, you win..." he raised an eyebrow; confusion washing over him like a waterfall. "...you're not my sidekick. We're partners and we have to work together."

His eyes narrowed. A plethora of outcomes began to swirl in his head; none of them pleasant, mind you. Jade could tell he was trying to read her and it only serve to delight her. What he didn't know that she was doing the same, only to gaze into the window to his soul to be a labyrinth of mystery and secrets. The only thing resembling a clue came when she averted her gaze for a split second. She felt him getting a bit too personal in his mental search and sought to throw him off. It was when she resume their stare-down, she noticed that behind his emerald eyes, there was a pulsating trail of black and purple along the rims of his iris.

Jade then turned away again, traveling over to the grand piano with a sultry sway. "Perhaps you should let me hear this song that you've chosen for the showcase before lunch ends?" she playfully teased. Interesting enough, he nodded and followed the path she set until he found himself sitting down on the stool once more. Jade watched as Liam turned his focus to the ebony and ivory keys, content that he hadn't noticed the faint glow of her azure orbs.

* * *

Some hours later, Liam would find himself waiting for Jade in Sikowitz classroom. His foot tapped against the carpet of the stage while his eyes remained fixated on the lone door to the room. She was half an hour late and he was seriously contemplating leaving to go home to his uncle. "Why didn't I listen to Ahrya?" he huffed. As far as he knew, she was with some new friends, practicing for their performance as well. "Just my luck, my rehearsals are somehow a punishment..." he chuckled bitterly. The clock's ticking only assisted his descent into madness. He had begun to lose himself in his own world when the sound of the door knob jiggling snapped him out of it.

"It's about time-" he was tapping his foot at this point and scowling darkly at this point only to find that it wasn't who he was expecting. It was, in fact, Tori Vega. She had jumped slightly with a soft 'eep'. "Sorry, Tori..." his voice a bit airy and dejected. "I thought you were someone else. I didn't mean to startle you."

To his amazement, she simply flashed a soft grin causing Liam to look away in hopes of hiding his burning face. He mentally cursed himself for allowing this to happen a third time. It didn't help him at all once she spoke up.

"It's fine, honest. I was just trying to find a place to get away from someone."

"Is someone harassing you?"

Grabbing her wrist, Tori fiddled with her sweater sleeve whilst looking for a good answer. "Sorta." was all she was muster out. "This guy I used to date, Daniel, is stalking me after I refused to take him back. I can just go so you don't get involved..."

Now it was Tori's turn to be surprised as he returned the grin towards her. "It's not a problem. I'll handle your little love stalker.."

No sooner did he say that, the door flew open revealing a clearly fuming Daniel. While Liam didn't so much as flinch, he could clearly see Tori's entire demeanor change significantly. She began to fidgit and was now biting her lip softly. "Tori, just come with me and we can fix things." the boy held out his hand only for the Latina to slink away behind Liam. Daniel then noticed his presence since entering the room. He quickly began sizing him up, sensing nothing special about him. "This is your new guy?" he cackled. "This is the guy you're trying to replace me with?"

Tori didn't say a word. Her gaze was firmly on the floor, trying her best to escape this sickening reality. She didn't want anyone to get hurt because of her. She thought of just going back with the guy and hopefully preventing any violence. While it was a 'noble' thought, she never got the chance to execute that plan as Liam spoke up.

"Tori, please sit down at the piano..."

His voice was soft yet commanded respect which she quickly listened to with dispute.

"You stay out of this!" Daniel roared, a murderous venom practically oozing from his mouth. He threw a sloppy left hook that was easily side stepped. Not one to be embarrassed, the boy twisted his body and lunged at Liam with a spinning back fist. He was amazed at the speed in which his opponent ducked from the cheap shot before feeling a his stomach about to cave in. All the oxygen seem to rush out of him as he collapsed to the floor. Tori couldn't believe her eyes at how her ex-boyfriend was dispatched so effortless. She marveled at how the once arrogant football player now laid in a crumpled heap, humbled before her. Her vision was obscured by the figure of her savior who simply shrugged and offered to walk her outside of the school which she gratefully accepted.

The two walked past the quivering form of Daniel, not even sparing him a glance. Tori was the first to reach the door when they heard him knocking down some chairs in an attempt to regain his footing. Before she could even scream, he was already lunging at Liam's back. Sounds of something breaking and wailing echoed in her ears though it wasn't from who she expected. Her eyes widened to find Daniel once again on the floor writhing in pain. As he rolled onto his back, she could see him clutching his now grotesquely disfigured right hand. Two of his fingers had been broken at the joint in various directions while his knuckles appeared to be cracked or shattered at the base. In the midst of that, she looked on as Liam grabbed her ex by the collar of his shirt.

"Listen up punk." he snarled; teeth gritted at the now petrified Daniel. "This young lady is my friend and you're going to respect her. You will not come near her anymore. If you don't leave her alone, I do more than break your hand." he then pulled the whimpering boy closer so that their noses were touching. "I'll break every bone but your neck... Just to watch you squirm. Am I clear?" he whispered tenaciously.

'C-crystal..." he yelped.

With a sinister grin, Daniel was finally release and swiftly scampered past Tori, disappearing down the hallway. Speechless couldn't fathom what just happened as she turned to observe this young man rubbing his clearly damaged fist. She noticed his injuries were massively less severe as he only sported some darkened bruises along with an open wound between his knuckles that was now spilling blood.

"Oh my gosh! You're hurt."

"Eh, it's nothing. I've had much worse throughout my life." He retorted playfully. He was remiss to catch Tori glaring at him in response.

"No, you need to get that checked out."

Though he could clearly tell she was angry at him for his reckless attitude, Liam only heard the sheer desperation in her voice. Sighing out of exasperation, he motioned for her to follow him back to the makeshift stage. He then reached into his bag, pulling out a roll of medical gauze. Tori, with a worried gaze, immediately took it out of his grasp and started wrapping his injured hand, ignoring his sporadic wincing. It only took a moment, and soon Liam's hand was firmly nursed by the now satisfied Latina before him.

"I gotta say, you're pretty good at this." he noted while flexing his still tender muscles.

With a soft laugh, Tori handed the roll back to him. "It's the least I could do after you helped me out earlier. I guess it was my luck to find you, huh?" The two would soon find the gap between them slowly diminishing thanks to Tori herself. Only a few centimeters separated them as neither made direct eye contact.

"I don't know about 'luck' per se..." his tone though low was still gentle. "I prefer to call it.. fate..." his smile caused the girl to giggle. Courage, though forced, allowed her to look up at him her eyelashes shielding her mostly from his powerful gaze.

"Call me a believer?" her voice was like a light scent meant only for him to savor as the last bit of space was closed. His heart pounded against his chest, threatening to break through. He could feel her arms shivering as she slowly brought them upon his broad shoulders. Everything that happened a few minutes ago no longer held relevance to them. Only gratification and a growing attraction carried any form of power as, instinctively, Tori and Liam leaned in closer.

"Thank you." her whisper was like honey, the sweetness urging him closer despite his attempts at restraint. Their lips, milimeters apart felt like surges of electricity.

"Sorry, Liam.." a voice, familiar to both, snapped them out of their trance. Fortunately, they managed to pull away just in time before she noticed anything. "...I was busy serving detention for nearly stabbing Sinjin with... What's going on here?" Azure eyes narrowed at the sight of Tori Vega and Liam Patterson standing next to each other.

"Nothing, I came in here looking for something and Liam offered to show me his skills with the piano." a flustered Tori somehow eked out. It was no surprise to him, the tension between both girls was literally like watching a tiger vs a lion. He did his best to keep a straight face in hopes Jade wouldn't hassle the two further. Skepticism was Jade's best friends as she sashayed in between them. "In fact, I was about to tell him to show me at the showcase next week when you arrived." she held her breath as Jade's head tilted, all in the room knew what it meant. Liam could only watch silently as Tori was practically being stripped down, figuratively by the goth. Each second felt like an eternity. A bead of sweat made its way down Tori's forehead but she refused to wipe it. Any sudden movement was an opening for Ms. West. Sensing nothing out of the ordinary, she finally relented.

"Whatever Vega. Liam and I have to finish rehearsing so if you're done, then you're free to go."

A silent breath allowed her to finally relax. Seeing her way out, she rushed back to give Liam a quick but meaningful hug. "Thanks again and welcome to Hollywood Arts." she called out before rushing out of the room, much to Jade's confusion.

"The heck was that about?" Jade raised an eyebrow but swiftly ignored her resurfacing feeling of suspicion. "Alright, let's get started..." Liam could only nod in agreement but his mind would continue to play back the moment that almost was. He nearly kissed Tori Vega...

* * *

After rehearsal, Liam gave Jade a ride home since it was after dark at this point. She gave him the usual farewell, a punch in the arm, which he oddly accepted. As he sped off into the night, Jade entered her rather large home. "Mom.. Dad...?" she called out only to hear dead silence. Nobody was home... "As usual." she muttered. Kicking off her combat boots, she rushed upstairs to her room, stopping to used the bathroom along the way. Her room was rather large and a bit unique to say the least. In an homage to her favorite villain Joker, her room was decorated in dark purple and green. Her queen size bed, wallpaper, even some stuffed animals fit the color scheme. She peered through the roomy, but also lonely room and plopped on the bed almost wishing she had invited Liam inside just to have someone to interact with. It's not like she liked the guy, but there was something in him that kept her both irritated yet fascinated as well.

"Maybe next time." her voice exuded disappointment. She proceeded to change out of her school clothes, fitted in only her purple bra and panties that accentuated her curves perfectly. "Then again, I wouldn't be able to flaunt around like this if I had." she mused to herself.

"And who might you be referring to?" a stoic voice nearly caused Jade to jump out of her skin. Reaching to her dresser, she clutched her favorite pair of scissors and twisting her body, aimed to maim whomever was foolish enough to sneak into her house. She didn't get far as she felt her wrist being gripped rather tightly by her supposed stalker who leaned in and smashed his lips against her own. Widening eyes signified realization as Jade found herself melting into the figures arms.

"Beck.." she peered through half lidded eyes only to feel her body getting warmer. "Why did you sneak up on me like that?" she tried to sound furious but her timidity had claimed control of her voice as she stared into darkened fiery orbs. To say she this was unnerving would've been an understatement. His face, though emotionless, instilled something inside of her that none other had ever successfully attempted. Fear.

"You didn't answer my question.." a cold but calculating tone his only response. His eyes soon began to glow as his lips twisted upward. "Tell me what you know, Jade."

* * *

 **Okay, so I want to say that I had a major case of blockage in my brain that prevented me from finishing this chapter sooner. I was supposed to update around the 13th but, here we are. I want to thank you all for reading and being patient up to this point. I would also like to note that I am 50% finished with the next chapter of Torque so be on the look out for that. I am very much open for constructive criticism in order to improve and stay on track with posting so fill the review section with your opinions on the characters, the story or even what you'd like to see in the coming future for those involved.**

 **I thought it would be a good idea to give Tori a different introduction into Liam's life from Jade and Trina. Jade meets him with utter contempt at first that appears to be steadily shifting into a possible friendship built on respect. For the time being, they are... very good associates with a common goal. Trina's introduction is based on sympathy or empathy depending on how you view the situation. While her character may seem one way, there is a sense of kinship that can basically branch into several directions depending on how the story progresses. Tori was a bit more complex in my mind as I originally thought about reenacting the alphabet improv scene from the show and letting something happen from there but instead utilize a real attraction that stems from a first impression perspective. Could it be a passing fling? Maybe it's something more? Well, you'll all have to wait as I prepare the next chapter.**

 **Thank you all again to those who read this and enjoy my writing. Now I bid you all a goodnight/morning!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Demon's Within**

 **Chapter 3: Showcase of the Mortals**

* * *

During lunch, Ahrya had managed to slip away from her gossiping friends in hopes of enjoying some much needed peace and quiet. Her journey brought her to the normally populated, but surprisingly empty, Black Box theatre. Checking her surroundings, she let out a sigh of relief before making her way to the stage. Over the first month of being at Hollywood Arts, Ahrya had grown rather popular among her peers and, though it was nice to be admired, she was more of the type to savor any moment of solitude she could get. She sat down and tossed her bag behind her without a care as the sounds of nothingness enveloped her senses. She took a few bites of her chicken Caesar salad and closed her eyes as her mind began to wander.

"Face it, you're better off ending it..." Ahrya's eyes shot open at the mysterious voice that echoed within the room. She looked around believing someone had managed to walk in without her knowing but found nobody else. "You're a loser and nobody really likes you..." the now smug voice began to chuckle. This was enough for her set her food to the side before settling on investigating to source of the conversation. "That's not true... Somebody likes me..." another voice, this one more timid and dejected, gave her more incentive. Seeing that obviously nobody was in the front area, Ahrya began her search behind the curtains. She pressed on despite no one being there but the conversation persisted.

"Ha! Sure... I'll give you an A for optimism, but let's face it, you're tolerated at best. Even Cat puts up with you, and she's as dumb as a sack of potatoes. Jade would sooner stab you with her scissors than hang out with you alone. Beck and Andre are clearly around you only because you're in the group and Tori..? She's just friends with you out of pity..."

The two conversing grew louder as Ahrya managed to scan above her to find only one person high up on one of the rafters. He had curly hair and thick rimmed glasses and what appeared to be a ventriloquist dummy. Her first instinct was to just turn around and leave the boy to his devices but became rooted in place when the puppet managed to say something that sent a blood curdling chill down her spine.

"Just save everyone the trouble and kill yourself."

Her eyes locked on to the form of the boy. She watched as he began to stand to his feet, setting the puppet down beforehand. He took off his glasses and took a deep inhale. 'He's going to jump...!' her mind screamed. He then leaned onto the rail as if contemplating his next move when she thought she'd seen what appeared to be a ghost of a smile form on his lips.

"Maybe, you're right..." he said to nobody in particular. "...Why should I burden everyone?"

His face grew dark. His fingers tightened around the cold metal. Tears began to fall freely down his cheek. He knew the truth and what he needed to do.. He could jump right now and possibly break his neck or at least, he could fatally injure himself. His thoughts ran a thousand miles through various questions. Would he be missed? Would anyone care? What did he have to lose? Who would find his soon to be broken body? Then, with a sorrow filled smile, he began to lean forward only to feel a pair of arms wrap around his slender torso.

"Please..." a voice that captivated his senses froze him in place. "Please don't kill yourself..."

He stiffly turned his head to see long raven hair cascading over his shoulders and felt what seemed to be something wet along the nape of his neck. He released his grip on the railing and relaxed his body as best he could. He felt his mysterious savior lift their head up and sigh softly. 'Who is this?' he asked himself.

"Why not..." his voice cracked as he failed miserably at trying to hide the feelings within. "Nobody will miss me... Rex said so himself."

The two shifted their gazes towards the dummy sitting lifeless only a few feet away. 'Rex?'

"You're listening to the words of a puppet?" the soft voice held a challenging tone in it.

The boy turned to her completely, a glimpse of anger flashed in his eyes. "Rex is as real as anyone!" he snapped back only to stop himself after seeing the person behind the voice. Her warm amethyst orbs pierced his very core. Her soft caramel skin and innocent gaze brought along a blush on his face. He knew exactly who she was. "You're Ahrya, aren't you?" his tone softened significantly.

She nodded slowly, hoping not to incite his wrath again. "Yes. My name's Ahrya Patterson and you are?"

"Oh, I'm Robbie Shapiro. No one special..." he extended his hand which she hesitantly accepted. "I've seen you around long enough to know you're quite popular with everyone. You're related to the guy who got into that fight earlier this month with Jade, right?" Now it was Ahrya's turn to blush, this time from embarrassment. She nodded.

"Yes, Liam's my big brother... But that doesn't matter right now. Why were you about to take your life?"

Robbie averted his eyes to the floor of the scaffold, shuffling his left foot. "I don't know..." he began only to find Ahrya glaring at him with concern rather than anger. "It's complicated, alright? I just don't know how to explain it okay?" she watched as his body language gave him away. He was like an open book at this point, just waiting for someone to notice and explore his pages.

"Your... friend over there said something about you being a burden. Let's start there..." she pointed her thumb over at Rex's form.

Robbie, who was beyond embarrassed at this point, shook his head. "But lunch will be over soon and it's a long story. I doubt you'd want to hear it..."

"I have free period next hour." she smirked softly, her hands firmly planted on her hips. "Try me, Mr. Shapiro."

Checking his watch, Robbie remembered that he had the next period free as well after switching his afternoon class with another tech student for the day. He shrugged in defeat, knowing there was nothing logically he could do to get out of it. "Okay, well... let's get down from here first and I'll tell you. I'm sure you wouldn't want me picking up any bad ideas." he joked only to find Ahrya genuinely giggling. 'She actually thought that was funny?'

"Okay, Robbie." her dazzling smile was all he needed as confirmation while the two made their way down the flight of stairs. As they conversed, it never once dawned on Robbie Shapiro that he had left Rex behind. It seemed, at least for the time being, that he didn't care. His interactions with a cute girl, albeit awkward at times, was enough to sustain him.

* * *

Later on that afternoon, Trina was exchanging her afternoon books for the one's she'd need for homework during the weekend when she felt several ominous presences behind her. She knew what it meant, as an inaudible sigh passed her lips. She'd hoped that they would've given her a break considering the festivities for tonight but it seemed fate wasn't on her side. She rolled her eyes and turned to see three of the boys who she had the 'pleasure' of meeting a few weeks prior.

"Hey there." A blond haired boy spoke up, a smug grin adorning his thin lips. "You remember us, right?" he and his friends were delighted when she nodded. He himself found himself growing more and more turned on by the dominance they held over her. He dug his pockets, pulling out a one hundred dollar bill. His buddies did the same, passing the bills to the blond leader. "I believe this should be enough for a repeat performance."

Trina could only stare in disbelief and worry at the sight. She was trapped between a rock and a hard place, no pun intended. She could've declined the offer but that meant facing the wrath of her main contact, 'Big Daddy' who was looking forward to a big payday. Without anywhere to go, she hesitantly began to reach for the money. Every fiber of her body screamed for her to push past them and run. This wasn't right and she knew it. Somehow, some words she'd heard before resonated from her memories:

"I'm sorry, but you don't owe me anything."

"I'm not here to get anything from you, Trina.."

"Well, since it was my first day, I was hoping I'd just made a friend."

Mere inches away from the thing currently holding her captive, Trina suddenly found her arm drop back to her side. This was surprising, and infuriating to her supposed clients. The blond boy slammed his hand against the lockers next to her, causing her to flinch. She could see the ill intent behind his navy blue eyes as fear swirled within her stomach. She was no stranger to being handled roughly for resisting a clients advances, whether verbally or physically. She had experienced being slapped around, choked, and even being spat on for declining an offer... She shut her eyes, praying that whatever consequences were about to befall her would at least be quick.

"Trina? Is that you?" a familiar voice pulled her from her dark reality. As she opened her eyes, she found not only herself, but the three boys facing a seemingly clueless Liam Patterson. "I've been looking for you all day!" he waved and chuckled warmly. She noticed that the three would begin to slink away slowly before completely disappearing down the hallway. It was evident that they wanted no part of him for whatever reason and it allowed Trina to finally relax. Liam approached her, his smirk only disappearing after a few moments of silence. "Are you alright?"

He was rewarded with a tight hug from the girl, her fingers clutching his grey hoodie as if her life depended on it. He responded by wrapping his arms around her as she sobbed silently. They remained that way for a while, only a small handful of students noticing their 'display of affection' between the two. Trina and Liam would part after a few more minutes. Liam simply looked at her smiling yet still 'clueless' as to what was going on.

"Trina, what's going on? Not that I don't appreciate the hug, but why were you crying?"

She wiped her eyes and smiled brightly while shaking her head. "Nothing, I was just happy that you still think of me as a friend."

He crossed his arms, though his smile remained. "Of course! I wouldn't make that up, silly." he let out a rare but much needed laugh. "Remember, you're my very first real friend here and that means a lot to me." he then began to walk down the hall, chuckling as she shut her locker, rushing off to catch up with him. As the two trekked on, she gave him a playful side hug as a way to say 'Thank you.' which he reciprocated gladly. Unknown to her however, was the glare he flashed, an image of the three boys surrounding her earlier burned in his brain. She didn't know that he was indeed looking for her but when he did, he'd seen the interaction in its entirety. When it came to the point that Trina might have been harmed for resisting them, he made his appearance as a way to protect her. The blond boy, who he knew to be some rich spoiled brat named Josh and his two goons, were becoming bullies simply because they had money. He always despised people like them, who thought they could do anything they wanted so long as their bank accounts were full. It boiled his blood that they literally were about to use their wealthy status to abuse those who may not have as much as them. He continued on, pushing the thought of the trio into the back of his mind, filling his head with the pleasant thoughts of the Showcase and his upcoming performance.

'You're my friend, Trina.'

* * *

As the night blanketed the sky, students began to file into the quad. Some would find themselves ordering food from the Grub Truck while others interacted with anticipation for what they would see. Tori, Andre, and the others except Jade and Robbie, the latter who was finishing up with the set-up on stage, all met up together next to a ridiculously large cheese fountain. Cat giggled and bounced at the sight, much to the amusement of her friends. Beck was uncharacteristically silent for the most part as they all discussed the possible talents they could witness. In his mind, he was just waiting for his girlfriend's forced performance, anything else, he considered inconsequential though the others would notice that he would appear distracted at times.

Their inquiries would have to wait as Mr. Sikowitz and Principal Helen walked onto the stage.

"Welcome students to this years, New Recruit Showcase!" a delighted Helen grinned from ear to ear. The crowd erupted into applause and cheers before dying down, allowing her to speak once more. "Tonight, you'll have the pleasure of getting to see your newest classmates, along with some familiar faces, in their most natural element as they perform for not only a grade, but your votes." The kids looked at one another confusingly. "That's right. Tonight, you all will cast your votes on who had the best performance with the top three earning guaranteed scholarships to the newest addition to our beloved school, Hollywood Arts Gardens. A few blocks from here, the gardens are a collection of dorms/apartments that will become available to students starting next month. Whoever wins tonight will earn a full paid stay for the duration of their time here in school. Now without further ado, Mr. Sikowitz, let's get this show on the road!"

Tori and the other's watched as Sikowitz introduced the first few groups, including Josh and his friends who gave a below average rendition of Michael Jackson's "Bad" which earned them a rather generous amount of applause. Considering nobody before them had fared any better, they seemed to be a shoe in for those scholarships. Andre and Tori clapped solely out of pity. Cat would only gaze in confusion while Beck just yawned out of sheet boredom. It wasn't until Sikowitz reappeared that their interest would be piqued.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce our next act. Give a warm welcome to Ahrya and Robbie Shapiro!"

"What?!" The gang, minus Cat bellowed in complete jaw dropping shock.

Sure enough, Robbie walked on stage, clearly nervous alongside Ahrya, who looked like she would rather be anywhere but up there. Beck face palmed in disbelief. Andre was still wonking out. Tori raised an eyebrow as curiosity got the better of her initial judgement. They watched as instead of Rex being in Robbie's hand, a guitar was firmly between his trembling fingers. This immediately brought questions that would eventually be asked sooner or later but for the time being, they watched as their friend began to strum a few chords signalling the beginning of the song.

Ahrya turned to look at the boy who simply smiled softly and continued playing slowly. The music alone was enough to captivate the audience as they too were astonished to see Robbie not only puppet-less, but adept at playing the instrument. He closed his eyes as he finished his introduction, giving a slightly trembling Ahrya her cue. She looked to her right, her brother on the other side, offstage giving her a thumbs up and a warm smirk that said, 'You got this!'.

This world will never be what I expected, and if I don't belong, who would've guessed it?

I will not leave alone, everything that I owned to make you feel like it's not too late...

Then, the sound of drums bounced along the night sky as Robbie began to play harder. His fingers were as if they had a mind of their own as he struck the necessary chords to accentuate the passion exuding from the young woman.

Even if I say "It'll be alright!", still I hear you say you "want to end your life."

Now and again we try to just stay alive.

Maybe we'll turn it all around because it's not too late. It's never too late.

The bundle of emotions emanating from the duo were enough to get the crowd going. Pulling out their cell phones, they waved them like lighters showing full support and equally so, their approval thus far of what they were listening to. Ahrya and Robbie knew it was time to step it up. They had to keep up the momentum as the latter rose from his seat and began to rock out with the girl.

The world we knew won't come back

The time we've lost can't get back

The life we had wont be ours agaaaaaaaiiiiiiiin...

Robbie's use of the guitar brought the mood down once more, if only for a moment before while Ahrya serenaded the crowd. In that time, she stole a quick glance at the boy to see her partner was indeed enjoying himself. For her, it had taken a lot of convincing but she now knew it was worth the effort as Amethyst orbs met again with Hazel. Instead of torture, she saw strength behind his eyes and was more than happy to find it taking residency within the boy.

Even if I say, "It'll be alright", still I hear you say, you want to "end your life."

Now and again we try to just stay alive

Maybe we'll turn it all around because it's not too late. It's never too late.

Maybe we'll turn it all around because it's not too late. It's never too late.

It's never too late!

It's not too late. It's never too late...

Tori and the other's watched as their normally awkward friend was now a mere stranger to them as he began to softly strum the strings until the song's conclusion. Immediately, the students roared and whooped at the two for a fantastic performance. Robbie blushed at all the cheers but quickly forgot about as he soon found himself wrapped in the arms of one Ahrya Patterson who then kissed him square on the cheek.

"You did great." she whispered ever so gently in his ear.

The two would separate just as Sikowitz made his way back on stage.

"It looks like business has picked up!" he gave a hearty laugh before pulling out a small card. "Alright, let's keep this train rolling. Up next we have..." he scanned the contents for a moment before finding the desired names. "...Jade West & Liam Patterson!"

The students all gasped at the revealing of the names, the memory of the two nearly killing each other earlier in the month not yet faded from their memories. The murmurs began to collect among one another, much to Beck's annoyance. He didn't like the idea of Jade not being around as she normally would throughout the month but even HE didn't know that the two were partnered up. To the best of his knowledge, she only told him that she had to perform for the showcase as punishment so imagine his surprise seeing her alongside the guy who wouldn't back down. This was his first time actually getting a clear image of who Liam was and it irked his brain knowing that there was something about the boy that seemed to be... familiar.

A normally confident Jade West appeared to be a little on edge while Liam was trying his best to focus on putting on a good performance. Considering they were following a stellar performance put on by his sister and her new friend, he felt he had to really give 110% in order to make a good impression. The audience remained silent as a grand piano was brought in. Liam bit his lip as he sat before the majestic instrument. Jade had to force her gaze away from the glare Beck sent her way before nodding her head to begin.

A delicate note. That's all that was needed as everyone's attention turned to the bad boy playing the heavenly keys. The combination of ebony and ivory were in perfect synchronization as the melodic sounds enveloped the quad with peaceful bliss. Jade used this to her advantage and exhaled the negative feelings. Azure crystals gazed into the crowd as her lips parted, her voice meshing well with the stunning music behind her.

When you walk away You don't hear me say, "Please, oh baby, don't go."

Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight It's hard to let it go

Before everyone could give her their undivided attention, Liam continued onward, the divine notes giving way for his own voice. He took a breath as his mind blocked out everything except Jade's voice.

The daily things that keep us all busy Are confusing me

That's when you came to me and said,

Jade kept the game of 'Hot Potato' going as she picked right back up where he left off. The crowds captivation was everything to them. This was more than just singing to the two. This was a matter of holding your audience and keeping their interest despite a slow methodical pace. Up to this point, it was unheard of in Hollywood Arts, but here they were accomplishing the feet.

Wish I could prove I love you, But does that mean I have to walk on water?"

When we are older you'll understand It's enough when I say so

And maybe some things are that simple.

What came next shocked even Jade. Naturally, Liam would take the chorus and push them into the pure duet.

Donna tokidattezutto futaride

Donna tokidatte

Soba ni irukara

Kimi to iu hikari ga watashi wo mitsukeru

Mayonakani

The crowd went nuts as they both began to initiate harmony. Jade would get on him about singing in another language later. For now, she wouldn't be satisfied until they were completely in the clear. Liam would reassert himself as he laid out an exquisite mixture of emotion and grace. This was to be expected though as Tori, Andre and Cat continued watching closely. Beck though was not impressed as he kept a stone expression.

Hold me

Whatever lies beyond this morning Is a little later on

Terebi keshite watashi nokoto dake wo

Miteiteyo

Jade took that moment to wrap up. Each note delicate and angelic with her resolve. This was a new side of her that, until now, Beck and Liam, the latter to a much lesser extent, had witnessed. She literally poured out her soul, lacing each word with a passion that the students had never thought possible before this very night.

Hold me

Whatever lies beyond this morning Is a little later on

Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all

Nothing's like before...

As the last notes were played, Jade and Liam would find themselves watching one another. They literally were feeding off of the other's natural energy throughout the song. It hadn't even dawn on the two that they were now, somehow, mere inches from each other. Azure and Emerald would remain locked, only the sounds of cheers and chants of 'Excellent' and 'Encore' snapped them from the musical trance. This only served to infuriate Beck Oliver, though he did a decent job in hiding it. He saw the whole thing as Jade was making her way off of the stage and through the crowd until she was standing before him. Liam simply walked over to where his sister and Robbie stood as the school's favorite teacher announced the next performance. During that time, while seeing Jade huddled under some guy he assumed to be her boyfriend, his mind quickly shifted to a more important question. "Where's Trina?"

He wanted to go find her but knew he needed to remain until the end; his first friend never leaving his mind though...

* * *

Eventually, the end of the Showcase had finally arrived and many of the students were done with casting their votes on who they thought to be the best three performers of the night. Seeing how high the stakes were, it didn't take long for the nerves to pile up inside everyone's bellies. At this point, Liam had gotten to know Robbie Shapiro and his connection to his sister. The two seemed to hit it off and quickly became friends after giving the latter the "Rules for being around my sister" talk.

Principal Helen and Mr. Sikowitz both stood proudly with all the contestants behind them.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thanks to our wonderful tech crew," everyone looked over to find Sinjin Van Cleef waving awkwardly. "we now have all the votes tallied. Starting with third place..." There was a quick drum roll. "Kali Sheppard for her rendition of "Long Walk" by Jill Scott!" everyone applauded the girl. She was a full figured Indian girl with a soulful voice. Considering she was a solo act, it wasn't surprising to see her place third but nonetheless, there was no doubt that she'd earned her residency at the newly formed Hollywood Arts Garden dorms. Jade, who had decided to stay with Beck, watch intently to see if Liam would place at all. This didn't go unnoticed by her long-term boyfriend but he chose not to make anything of it. "In second place," Sikowitz pulled the card from its envelope, handing it to the eager Principal. "Liam and Jade West for their version of "Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru!"

This brought a sigh of relief to the goth. Although, initially she hated the guys guts, she developed a newfound respect for him after the many weeks of rehearsals, therapy sessions with Lane, and just plain seeing him in classes. It wasn't like she wanted to date the guy, but she didn't consider him among the short list of those she could actually consider a friend. So imagine her surprise when she was called onto the stage to receive a scholarship to the dormitory as well. She looked at her music partner who simply shrugged as if to say: 'Who knew?'

As Liam, Jade and Kali were handed their respective awards, the former swallowed hard knowing that there was a good chance that his sister would be left without an award. That wouldn't sit well with him but he knew this was out of his hands. He could always decline the offer and stay home, driving to and from school if she didn't get in but shook that thought out. 'She'll win... there's no doubt.'

Principal Helen proceeded to call out two groups, the first being Josh and his cronies. The second was indeed his sister, Ahrya and Robbie, who gladly stepped forward. Helen explained how both performances had an even number of votes and it would come down to a single vote that she held in her hand. Everyone's eyes and ears were focused on the lone piece of paper that held the fate of two groups within it. As the suspense continued to build, Helen opened up the crinkled paper and held her breath. The look on her face would've suggested the unlikely had occurred but in a twist of fate, she pointed to the crowd.

"Students of Hollywood Arts, your winner of the Showcase is... Ahrya Patterson and Robbie Shapiro!"

Everyone, save for Josh and his crew, roared out their cheers and adoration for the duo who hugged each other in response. Robbie was beaming from ear to ear at the idea that not only had he overcome a dark moment in his life, but he accomplished something that he previously thought impossible. He watched as Helen and Sikowitz handed them their prize, two gold medals and individual scholarships to the dormitories. During all of this, Josh stormed off in a fit of fury tailed closely by his two friends which didn't go unnoticed by Liam. He managed to whisper something in the principles ear, which she happily nodded in agreement before slipping away into the crowd.

* * *

A suspicious Liam did his best to shadow the three boys but lost them in the dark hallways on the south end of the school building. Keeping on his guard, he kept his head on a swivel while slowly making his way towards the gymnasium. Entering inside, he found that it too was completely devoid of bodies. This didn't dissuade him from pressing forward though. He checked behind the bleachers just in case one or more of them were hiding from him. After the two incidents between them and Trina Vega, the first creating a sour feeling deep in his core, he figured he check the locker rooms. Slowly opening the door, he found his hypothesis to be correct as he heard their irritating voices from within the boy's room.

"It seems you don't learn your lesson, do you?" the main voice was clearly the rich snob, Josh.

Liam crept inside making sure to remain hidden while pulling out his cell phone. Hitting the record button he angled the device to where it was just out of the boy's line of sight. What he witnessed was enough to make his skin crawl. Once again Trina was being sexually abused by the trio who decided to wash the bitter taste of defeat by indulging in forced acts. He needed to get enough footage so that he could end this once and for all but what happened next sent him into a state of pure rage.

"Hey, Josh. Let's fuck her good this time!" a medium skinned boy spoke up after slapping his member against her face.

She tried to shake her head no, but a swift slap to the face from the leader forced her to 'comply' to his demands. Liam could see her eyes were, once again, full of tears as she was subjected to his heinous act. 'Consequences be damned...' he thought as he rushed into the shower area. Before they could react, Josh was sent careening into the cold metal wall, effectively stunning him for the time being. Once of his stooges, a dark skinned boy by the name Darren, attempted to tackle Liam. Unfortunately for him, his target simply sidestepped and landed a solid roundhouse kick as he turned around, breaking his nose in the process. With one confirmed to be down for the count, Liam felt a sharp pain in his shoulder as the other boy had stabbed him with a pocket knife.

"Bet you won't challenge us again, loser!" he taunted. As expected, Liam dropped down to one knee but instead of crying the boy was surprised to find him chuckling despite the pain. "What the..?"

The boy began to feel a wave of terror shroud him as Liam simply stood to his feet and clutched the knife buried in his back. With one good tug, the blade was removed leaving behind a trail of dark red liquid behind. Liam turned around, his left eye exuding a tight of violet mixed with his natural green tint, and grinned at the now petrified boy. In only a moment, his assailant rushed to leave only to run smack dab into the shower walls, knocking himself in the process. This left only Liam and an awakening Josh. The blond hair snob surveyed his surroundings, one goon knocked out with a broken nose, the other he watched knock himself out whilst attempting to run away, and a pair of eerily glowing eyes fixated on his prone form.

Liam took a step closer and relished the sight of his foe cowering before him. He didn't care if he lost his scholarship at that point, all that mattered was that he was about to exact his revenge on what he considered a piece of trash. He would make Josh pay for what he and his accomplices committed. He grinned, sharp canines on either side, enough to make the boy shit his pants. His very presence carried the weight of hell itself as he squatted in front of the boy.

"Are you afraid?" his voice was unrecognizable, almost as if possessed. "Are you afraid to die?"

Josh nodded vigorously. He was like a bobble head doll with how his head shifted from up to down. He whimpered as his head was lifted up by Liam tugging his yellow locks.

"Then heed my warnings... Leave Trina Vega alone. Am I clear?" he nodded once again, only slower given his position. "If I catch you or any of your affiliates harassing her again, I'll break you in ways that'll leave you begging for death."

Josh shivered, a mixture of the cold air on his still half nude body and the fear that had now occupied his very soul. He watched as Liam began to leave only to stop and help a now mostly covered Trina to her feet. How was it that he could still move as if nothing had happened when he was stabbed in the back? He received his answer in the form of said injury being no where in sight. Only the remained of blood were left behind but the wound itself wasn't there. The only conclusion he could fathom as the two exited the room was simple. This was no mere man but some kind of demon...

A demon that he wanted no part of ever again.

* * *

The two sat in Liam's 1996 Chevy Impala for nearly half an hour while some country musician sang something about his pain feeling like ripping off a band-aid. Neither looked at the other, just stared at the road before them. He weaved through traffic, going no where in particular. The silence between the two only gave room to more tension as both were unsure of what to say to the other. Finally, Trina chose to break the tension.

"Thanks again.." she managed to eke out. "I don't know how I can repay your kindness."

Liam looked over at her, sadness clouded his features. He didn't know what to say to her after what he witnessed not too long before. He knew that she was traumatized by the ordeal but he also knew that she shouldn't retain the pain and suffering either.

"There's no need to pay me back, Trina. We're friends... That's what we do." he assured her. "But if you really want to make things up to me, then do this..."

Her face twisted as a grimace formed on her lips. "What's that?"

"Promise me that after tonight, you're willing to start over with a clean slate. No more of these boys doing that to you. No more sex meet ups, okay?"

"I can't do that!" she yelled back, mostly in horror.

"Why not?" She didn't say anything. Trina just merely looked out the window, her only solace being the many buildings they passed by. "Trina, if you're afraid to tell me because of what I'll think-"

"I don't want you to get hurt." she retorted though her tone remained gentle. "You already know too much."

Soon, she found the vehicle stopping at a park. He handed her his leather jacket then stepped out. She put it on and was grateful as the slightly chilly wind nipped at any part of her that was exposed. They made their way to the swings where they sat and just enjoyed the peace and tranquility surrounding them. It seemed to be enough as Trina started to swing while Liam watched in amusement. She continued on until she grew tired of the act.

"Listen, I've been through hell and back for the people I care about." his face was unreadable to her, mystery overtaking his all possibilities of expressions. "I care about you, and just like tonight, I'll kick anybody's ass to ensure your safety. But I can't help you if you don't trust me."

She gazed into his eyes, seeing the truth behind his words. She watched as he was attacked by the boys earlier and even stabbed for her sake. If that didn't prove anything to her, what else would? With a labored sigh, she flashed a sad smile his way before making her way in front of him.

"I um-" she averted her gaze from his own. I'm a prostitute..." she shut her eyes instantly, awaiting the moment where any and all judgement would come down like the mighty hammer of Thor. To her astonishment, she opened her eyes to see him still sitting on the swing, a look of anticipation firmly on his face now. He motioned for her to continue, much to her disdain. "I've been working for a man simply known as 'Big Daddy' who sets me up with clients at the school since I'm not 18 years old yet. I met him while heading to an audition for a show where he said he would guarantee I would get into the limited casting call, if I paid him back the entrance fee with interest." She began to twiddle her thumbs as the pink tint of shame coated her face. "Well, I got into the audition thinking I'll be chosen and pay him back with the money I made from the show only to be rejected. Once he found out, he told me of another way I could pay him back. From that day forward, I became one of his sluts. He did allow me the decency of only being tricked by boys my age and in my school so not to arouse suspicion but to be honest, I began to hate myself more and more until giving oral sex became as normal as eating or breathing. The only thing that I can say I've never done is vaginal sex. He allowed me to save that until my eighteenth birthday..."

Liam stood to his feet and wrapping Trina in his arms, held her quivering frame to his own. This was taking a toll on her and he could literally see the cracks growing larger within her. He shushed her, telling her she didn't need to continue but, he was shocked to feel her push away and shake her head.

"No, I'm almost done." she announced despite her very being telling her to stop. "The man I'm indebted to warned me that someone would be in the school watching me and reporting my earnings to him. I don't know who he or she is, but I've been too afraid to defy him. He said he would kill me if he didn't get his money and I've been trapped ever since!"

"Well listen, you don't have to worry about that happening." he looked at her as if she were a delicate flower. "We'll get through this together, alright?"

Trina was astounded at his confidence despite the severity of her circumstances. Here she was spilling out the heavy consequences of her actions and yet, here Liam was giving her a thumbs up and smooth smile. It was more than enough to illicit a sincere laugh from her. It felt for them both to actual unwind with one another. Soon though, the effects of the night would catch up to them as Trina let out a yawn, followed close behind by one from Liam. It was getting really late so they opted to retreat to the car. The ride home completely contradicted the atmosphere set earlier as they exchanged jokes and stories of their lives in school before Hollywood Arts until they once again found themselves at the Vega residence. This time, Liam would walk Trina to her front door, which she was truly grateful and flattered.

"Thanks so much again for helping me." her body rocked as she barely suppressed a full out smile. "I don't know anyone who would've gone to the lengths you did. Are you sure you don't need to treat that nasty wound?" the look of concern on her face caused him to laugh softly.

"I'm fine, Trina. Besides it doesn't even hurt at all." he then dug in his pocket for something, handing a folded piece of paper to her.

"What's this?" she asked; curiosity seemed to be akin to them both this night as she started to unfold it.

"Nope. Open when you get inside alright?" this earned him a playful pout which he found simply adorable. "Now, go on inside. We still have homework to complete."

"Would you mind coming over tomorrow for some 'study time'?" she sensually teased while leaning against the door frame.

Now it was Liam's turn to blush as Trina nearly burst into a fit of laughter herself. The only thing that halted said attempt was that her parents were fast asleep.

"Trina, we both know I would but... I can't this weekend. My weekend will be spent cleaning up and sorting stuff. My sister and I have to pack up and get ready to move into the new dorms by Monday. But I can definitely come over and hang with you after next week. Sound good?"

His answer came in the form of a kiss on the cheek which he couldn't respond to since Trina expertly made her way inside her house before he could react. His hand touched his cheek, feeling the electricity from their contact as he strolled over to his car. She peaked out from her bedroom window to see him pull off into the night. once he was out of sight, she finally began to unfold the note he gave her. To her surprise is simply read:

 _ **Please fill out this form to accept your all expense paid voucher**_

 _ **This voucher is approved for one Trina Vega to be admitted as a resident of Hollywood Arts Gardens Dormitory. You are offered this voucher based on the referral of Liam Patterson. If you choose to accept this invitation, you will be granted unlimited access to the dorms many amenities including free meals, furnishings, various entertainment, and more. Please turn in this form to Principal Helen within seven days. **_

Trina's eyes welled up with tears at what she read. Not only did Liam save her physically, but was already following through on his word to keep her protected. She immediately signed the forms necessary before changing into her pajamas. Placing her phone on the charger, she turned off the lights and proceeded to let the sandman take over. This night however, was a bit different than most as she began to dream not of fancy clothes and super stardom, but of a simple life where she was at peace. Her heart was aflutter with glee knowing that at the center of this dream, stood her knight in shining armor, Liam.

* * *

 **Okay... so I'm extremely tired after writing this (it's currently 5:30 am) so I'll just give you the cliff notes.**

 **As stated before Trina was being pimped out by someone but it's now revealed that there are two culprits involved.  
**

 **Since Robbie really hadn't played a major roll in much of my pasts fictions, I decided to give me a much larger role.**

 **The concept of having a dorm setting will hopefully be important down the road for the story.**

 **Jade and Beck's relationship is clearly not as perfect as they let on though I decided to give a reverse view than what was portrayed in the show.**

 **Andre, Tori, and Cat will be relevant as well so no worries.**

 **No definite pairings yet.**

 **And finally, thank you all for your love and support of this and many other stories I've written or am currently writing. I hope you all enjoy this rather long chapter. It's actually the longest chapter I've ever written for any fiction on this site. Goodnight/Morning and keep those constructive criticisms coming too. They always help me to improve and strengthen my resolve to keep pushing for quicker updates.**


	5. Chapter 3a

**Hey everyone, sorry for the extra long delay. Just wanted to drop a new chapter, or rather sub-chapter to be exact. Every so often, I'll throw in a sub-chapter just to keep the story moving along. It's purpose is to bridge certain gaps in time throughout the story. In this case, there was a major rift in between the showcase and the next major point of the story that needed to be addressed before pushing further in time. It is relatively short and I apologize for that but the next chapter will be much longer. Thank you to those who follow and read this fiction as well. Finally, I would like to say that I am also working on Torque as well and will be pushing for posting the next chapter for that as well very soon.**

* * *

 **Demon's Within**

 **Chapter 3.5: Calm Before the Storm**

* * *

Tori Vega let out a not so attractive yawn while making her way downstairs. Her nut brown hair was all over the place as she fought to keep her eyelids from drooping. She eventually managed to arrive in the kitchen only to find none other than her sister, Trina humming to herself. Blinking a few times, Tori's vision became to clear up and much to her surprise, her elder sister was watching someone singing on her laptop, giving off the impression that she was actually trying to learn. She almost didn't notice the earbuds in Trina's ears before looking over at the clock that read 8:37 am. Her eyebrow raised as periodically, she would catch her humming short but coherent sounds. This was getting weird for the younger Vega sister, who tiptoed backwards out of the kitchen before breaking into a full on sprint to her room. In her haste, she nearly mowed down her parents who just happened to step out from their bedroom.

"Whoa there!" her father barely managed to catch her in his arms. "Tori, why on earth are you running like you're being chased by an animal?"

It took a few moments for Tori to catch her breath which only exemplified her parents looks of worry.

"T-Trina..." she managed to get out which only resulted in her mother tossing her hands up and her father rolling his eyes for good measure.

"What has your sister done now?" he asked, his voice completely devoid of said concern, replaced by annoyance.

"She's humming..." the two exchanged looks of confusion and bewilderment before flashing their gazes at their daughter. "...she's actually learning to sing..."

Soon, Tori would find herself nearly trampled by her parents as they pushed past her to see the truth behind her words. It was definitely a warning sign if their peace and tranquility was being jeopardized. They all peered around the corner of the small stairwell to find their oldest daughter indeed attempting to learn how to sing. To say that what they saw surprised them would be an understatement as they listened to her repeating notes and somehow hitting them in succession. Tori arrived just to see her mother's jaw nearly hit the floor as her father shook his head in disbelief. As they tried to gather their collective thoughts, the three quickly shuffled back into the hallway just as Trina began to stand up and head over to the refrigerator.

Tori was the only one who dared sneak a peak again as her parents silently retreated to their sanctuary of a bedroom. Meanwhile, Tori Vega had other ideas then made her way into the living room. She always kept an eye on Trina but would frequently check her laptop screen for clues. Before she knew it, she would find what she was looking for in the form of a paused video. what really caught her eye was that the video appeared to be a series of several recordings sent via private messages from none other than her classmate, Liam tuning a guitar in one of the band rooms.

'So this is why you're so happy today..'

"Can I help you with something?"

Tori nearly jumped out of her skin only to turn to see a clearly agitated Trina Vega holding a can of cola in her hand.

"God, Trina... You shouldn't sneak up on me like that!" she managed to blurt out while clutching her chest. She could feel her cheeks growing warmer as a thin shade of pink began to form across the bridge of her nose. To be honest, she wasn't sure if it was because she was caught red-handed snooping around or simply because her mind was now on a certain ebony young man. "I mean- what are you up to big, sis?"

Tori watched as her sister's lips curled into a deeper frown, suspicion oozing from her pores at this point. "I WAS checking out some videos on the Slap but now, I'm staring at my sister who doesn't appear to know the meaning of personal space."

That was all she needed to move as Trina looked to gently push past her, only her way of barging through felt like a playful hip bump. However, before she could inquire any further, Trina was already engrossed in the video once more. Tori, while more than just confused, thought it best not to push the envelope, leaving Trina to her humming. Besides, she had other things on her mind: A certain dark amber skinned boy who keeps catching her eye.

* * *

The sky became lit with the shining rays of the rising sun as Robbie waited outside the campus dorm steps, wearing only a simple t-shirt and a pair of jeans. It was safe to say that he was eager to see his new home after the showcase. He was among the few who could arrive early before the next semester started and it was a godsend. He inhaled deeply and was began to think about his future when a familiar voice was heard in his head.

'Big whoop! So you won some contest... doesn't change the fact that you're still a loser, Rob." His eyes widened in horror. 'You thought some girl could help you get rid of me? Fat chance...'

'Rex?' he cowered internally.

'That's right nerdling. Now back to me and my awesomeness.' the sounds of the puppet's voice slowly pulled Robbie Shapiro to that dark place. 'While I did enjoy a few days away from you and your cool blocking abilities, I'm going to need you to come get me. It's been too long and we have unfinished business...'

"No.." he whimpered.

'Robbie... Robbie.. Robbie.'

"Robbie?" The curly haired boy concrete eyes opened to find himself staring at a pair of pink flats. Lifting his head slowly, he managed to see the ever lovely yet highly worried Ahrya. "Are you alright?" her voice was like silk, elegant and delicate. It was truly refreshing to hear her voice as it somehow snapped him out of his mental descent into the abyss. To be honest, this was the first time, he had heard the voice of the tormenting puppet since leaving him-... No. He didn't want to remember where he'd left the foul thing. For nearly all of his life, Rex had been that other side of him that he regretted holding in. All of his pain, suffering, anger, hatred, and sorrow culminated into the identity Robbie created. "Robbie, are you alright?"

Ahrya found his lips slowly forming into a soft smile as he nodded in response.

"Yeah, just had a lot on my mind. Nothing major.." he half lied. "Glad to see you guys made it here alright."

Looking back, they both watched Liam pulling some boxes out of the back seat. To them, he appeared to be severely drained physically.. That was made even more evident by the ungodly yawn he let out. He turned to find the two staring at him and rolled his eyes. His body was aching from the night before but he chose to ignore the pain as best he could while shuffling in the back. Meanwhile, Robbie found himself trapped in a petrified state at the near animal like growl emitting from the boy, Ahrya simply giggled at his reaction.

"How can you not be afraid of that?" he asked, a sense of wonder poured from his lips like razor blades.

"That's normal of my brother." She simply shrugged at his intense sense of worrying and walked past him. If there was one thing that Robbie would consider to be a benefit: His brain was no longer plagued with Rex's 'voice'. Too bad it was now filled with that near demonic sound... He would soon follow suit and enter the building seeing nobody else inside save for Ahrya and a lone security guard who didn't too interested in them being there. He asked them if they were moving in, which they both confirmed. He grunted something incoherent and pointed to a collection of keys that had designated names and numbers, along with a key card as well.

As they collected their things, both would head on upstairs to their respective rooms. Not too far behind, Liam and Kali (along with her family) entered the building, undergoing the same treatment. Eventually they both arrived to the fourth floor and entered their respective rooms where they found their newest roommates, Ahrya and Robbie. "This should be interesting..." he muttered, setting a couple of stacked boxed along the side of the of the beds. Robbie turned around and flinched slightly at the sight of Liam up close. Despite the two being around each other the previous night, he was too enthralled with his sister to notice him. The silent exchange between them only served to the already heavily building tension.

Large silver orbs locked with sunken emerald eyes.

Smoldering fear and disregard intertwined.

Suddenly, after another yawn, Liam stretched and noticed his surroundings. It finally dawned on him what was going on...

He noticed Robbie Shapiro, who at this point looked like he would wet his pants at any moment, and allowed reality to sink in. He had to choose his next words carefully. It didn't take long though, a small grin formed on him lips once he noticed the large bunk beds on his right.

"I call the top bunk." he let out a laugh, hoping that it would set Robbie at ease. To his surprise, the curly haired boy smiled back and nodded in agreement. Soon the two were heading back downstairs to gather more of their belongings to put into their new home.

* * *

The sun was high up in the sky as the clock struck noon on a simple alarm clock. Jade West was the first to stir as the warm rays of the sun shined through the makeshift sun/moon roof in Beck's RV. Irritation washed over her face as she slammed a tightened fist against the poor device multiple times until it finally was silenced. Her azure orbs lit up in victory before crashing her face against her pillow once more. Her bare lips rose into a satisfied grin as unconsciousness began to take hold of her sense once more.

Unfortunately, that would be short lived...

"Beck? Yo, Beck... You in there?"

The unlucky soul responsible for her abrupt awakening was none other than Andre Harris who appeared to be out of breath and in a rush for some reason. Frustration began to settle behind her blazing glaciers before the goth finally sat up on the bed next to her boyfriend, who was somehow out cold. Despite her current feelings, mixed with the annoying knocking outside, Jade had to admit that he looked even more attractive when he was out cold and his hair plastered all over his face. Her fawning would have to wait as she begrudgingly trudged to the door.

To the young boy's surprise, a sudden nearly knocked him down as Jade snapped the door open. It was at that moment he'd realized the mistake he just made. Under Jade's eyes were clearly visible dark bags, courtesy of the lack of sleep, and his face was transitioning from brown to a beet red, courtesy of her wearing only her black bra and panties.

"What is it, Andre?" she let out a low growl signalling to him that he was now on thin ice.

He took a moment to swallow the lump in his throat but failed to do so while under her icy glare.

"W-well Beck's supposed to come with me to help me out with a scene Sikowitz gave to us and it's due in a couple of weeks." he nervously replied. It wasn't uncommon for Andre Harris to react like this as, despite his high level of friendship, he would still find himself afraid of the typically dark girl before him. It also didn't help his cause that she was practically revealed for all to see.

Her face scrunched up as she tried to figure out why Andre was acting the way he was until she looked down at herself, in all of her ivory glory. Joining him in blushing profusely, Jade rushed back inside only to push a groggy Beck out of the door a few moments later. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Beck finally noticed Jade's reason for doing so.

"Andre? What're you doing here so early?" he yawned rather loudly.

Regaining his composure, Andre crossed his arms staring at his best friend. "I have some news from the boss." his voice was low but discernible.

This immediately prompted Beck awake who looked over his shoulder at the RV behind him.

"Let's talk about this somewhere more private." he too now emoted in a more quieted tone. It was clear that whatever they were involved in, Beck didn't want Jade knowing about it. So as to not arouse suspicion from his friend, he once more brought up the "scene" he and Beck were supposed to practice as an excuse. Nodding, the once claimed Aladdin look alike headed back inside to get dressed. Andre could only roll his eyes and stifled a laugh as the sounds of the 'loving couple' arguing echoed from inside the makeshift home and for him, it was no surprise that he would find a pissed Jade West storming out, now fully clothed, down the driveway with her boyfriend close behind. He thought it best to just get in his car and wait patiently

He didn't have to wait long though, as an irritated Beck Oliver had returned and entered the passenger side of the car with a sour expression.

"What happened?" he asked only to receive a sharp glare.

"Just drive and tell me what the boss wants..." he pouted as the car soon pulled out of the drive way.

* * *

Trina Vega had been cheerful practically all day, and it was scaring her family in more ways than one. Even the normally oblivious and clueless Cat had picked up on her 'off' behavior and was trying to figure out what could be the cause. Unfortunately, the one's with the answer were all still stunned and silent from her [Trina's] morning pleasantries. She was currently cleaning up the house while listening to some song by Ke$ha, another reason for their concern and, to a lesser extent, fear. It was no secret that the Trina they knew was self-centered, arrogant, lazy, and difficult to deal with and yet, here she was not annoying anyone, having a pleasant attitude, and contributing to the household.

"I can't believe Trina's being responsible." Mr. Vega was the one to break the silence. "I thought we'd sooner see the moon crash into the sea before Trina ever picked up a broom."

"It's weird alright." His wife chimed in next. "I don't know whether to feel proud or terrified. It's like she's a different person."

Despite knowing the truth, Tori didn't want to mess up the aura of peacefulness by mentioning to her dad that a guy was the reason for her sudden change. In a way, she was actually happy that her elder sister was actually being normal for once. Ever since she came to Hollywood Arts, she was either being a pain in everyone's neck or disappearing without explanation. Neither of those things had happened since the month of the showcase and the younger Vega was content with that. It was then that a ghost of a smile had crept upon her face.

Her inner thoughts were interrupted when a loud bang startled her, accompanied by an all too familiar voice.

"Tori?!" Inwardly, she was groaning while approaching the front door for fear that Jade would kick down the front door. The rest of the family, along with Cat, decided to cease their pondering of Trina to acknowledge the more potentially threatening young woman. Opening the door, Tori found herself brushed to the side by the goth who simply plopped on the now dusted couch.

"Hey Jade. Make yourself at home.."

"Save it, Tori. Beck pissed me off again so I walked over here and-" she turned to see Trina Vega, the bane of her existence, and raised an eyebrow. This time, instead of disgust, there was intrigue in her icy orbs. The older girl was so enraptured with a song playing through the headphones that she'd hadn't even noticed that Jade had entered her home. It was almost like she was here in only the physical sense. "What's with your weird sister? She seems... happy or something. What's with her?"

"She's been like this since earlier in the month. One day she was being secretive and annoying and now, she's actually acting like a decent human being." Tori huffed while plopping herself onto the couch. "Ever since she started listening to that new guy at school on the Slap, she's been like this. Humming, learning to sing, "

This was all Jade needed to hear to snap herself out of her thoughts just as Trina disappeared towards her bedroom.

"Wait. You said that she suddenly started acting differently earlier in the month after meeting some guy? You wouldn't be referring to Liam, would you?"

Tori's silence was all she needed as confirmation. "Oh my god... Do you think they're dating or something?" Though she was trying to sound like she'd just discovered a lost civilization, there was a twinge of jealousy lacing her words. Unfortunately for Tori, her inability to speak, her brown eyes would give away all the truths she attempted to keep hidden. It had only been a little over a month since the new recruits had arrived but here stood one of Hollywood Arts greatest rivalries at the cusp of igniting another battle in the ensuing war. Jade West and Tori Vega were famous for bringing out the best (and worst in one another) and if things turned out how anyone would expect them to, they would do the same thing.

There was only one problem for each girl; a thought that seemed to hit both of them like a ton of bricks.

Jade was in a now long-term relationship with Beck Oliver, who she supposedly is in love with.

Tori, though not officially dating anybody, was actually talking to a guy from school and actually had been on a couple of well receptive dates with.

Adding in the fact that Trina, technically, wasn't confirmed to have had any intimate contact with Liam, was apparently feeling some sort of way about the guy.

Cat watched on while eating some sugary cereal while observing the two nod silently before returning her attention to her pear phone. The known frenemies soon began discussing Jade's initial reason for arriving at the Vega residence in the first place.

"Okay, with that settled for now, what did Beck do to set you off?" she asked with skepticism. "Are you sure you weren't just overreacting about what he said?"

This only earned the Latina a sharp glare that could slice through metal. Tori quickly shut her mouth for fear of what Jade could potentially do out of sheer emotion and, with a huff of frustration, wondered to herself what else could possibly happen today. The trio remained quiet for a bit before Trina's voice pulled them from their awkward silence.

"Tori, I'm heading out for a bit." she rushed out with excitement radiating from her very pores. Before anyone could utter a response, the door sound of the front door closing, leaving the three girls looking at each other questionably.

* * *

Once down the street, Trina Vega pulled out her phone and dialed a number and soon found herself listening to the combined sounds of the dial tone and her now speeding heartbeat as she anticipated the voice on the other side. It took a few rings before a click was heard.

"Hello, Trina..." the rough and stern voice caused her to swallow the lump in her throat. "...Glad to finally hear from you. I was afraid that you'd been hurt or worse.."

A bead of sweat ran down her forehead, a fusion of the beating sun and her own fear racing throughout her very core.

"It's only been a couple of d-days..." she muttered; her resolve seemingly crumbling with each agonizing second that passed by.

"And I hope you have the money to cover your little vacation." the man's tone left little room for rebuttal. Hearing no response, he continued. "I've had eyes on you since we made our little deal. Everywhere you go, they're keeping tabs on you and reporting your whereabouts to me. I told you that I would make you a star and I fulfilled my end of the bargain. I helped you to stay in Hollywood Arts and in return, you turn the young tricks to pay back me back. In reality, I promised to help you become a star. I opened the door for you to become what you so desired. It's not my fault that you weren't as great at the arts." he let out a dark laugh at her expense.

Trina inhaled deeply in hopes of resisting a breakdown from the soul shattering reality that was hitting her. "I can't keep having sex with those boys anymore. It's too high of a risk. I can't keep doing this.. I-"

"You're right." This caught her off guard once more. "It's not fair, putting you in a situation to potentially be caught." Tears began to form in her eyes at the possibility of her nightmare finally being over. Images of her being free to follow her own path. "From now on, you'll be handling appointments from older clients. You're almost 18 anyways so this'll work out just fine."

Before she could come close to responding, the call ended leaving a sense of dread once against rising within her. Here she was, hoping to put that life behind her only to wind up now servicing fully grown men. Her body began to shiver intensely, her heart prayed that this was some sick joke. The reality finally settled in her when her phone vibrated. The feeling of terror shot froze her blood over as her eyes gazed downward at the device. On it, a message lit up from the wretched contact.

Meet downtown by 10 pm for your first assignment. Big spender looking for a good time. ;)

With a heavy heart, Trina started down that way, no doubt feeling her stomach tying itself into knots. Little did she know, this night was about to take a twisted turn that would affect her in more ways than one.


	6. Chapter 4

**Hello one and all! I won't keep you all with boring introductions and whatnot. So let me say that I am grateful to you all who support my writings and leave reviews that help to motivate and inspire me to improve my skills. I love and appreciate you all. I really hope you all enjoy this chapter and I will be working on the next one very soon. Also if you'd like, check out my other stories in progress "Torque", where the Victorious gang are mixed with the world of Need for Speed, and "Eyes of the Abyss" where I'm tackling the world of Avatar that takes place nearly a century after the events of Legend of Korra. Anyways, let's get to the story.**

* * *

 **Demon's Within**

 **Chapter 4: Conflict of Interest**

Time flew for the new students at Hollywood Arts as the first semester was winding down. Other students had begun living on campus, thus creating a community of young talent and like mindedness. Ahrya and Liam had both established themselves as top ranks both in academics as well as the arts. Ahrya was your typical well rounded student, gifted in singing, acting, and dance. Her brother however took a much simpler route in his studies, choosing to study more in traditional arts, tech support as well as a bit of singing and acting for good measure. With the help of Robbie, both the two's grades were firmly in honor roll standings. They would find themselves hanging out more and more, which raised a few eyebrows from the gang.

While they really didn't keep tabs on him, the group found it extremely weird not seeing Robbie Shapiro (and to a much lesser extent, Rex) around as often as they usually would. Now, whenever they typically saw him, Robbie was either hanging out with Ahrya or both siblings. Jade and Beck were the only one's not too broken up about his absence as they were more concerned about their strained relationship. Tori was once again concerned about her sister's whereabouts (unknown to her, so was Liam) and it seemed that Andre & Cat were the only one's concerned with everyday school life.

Everyone had made their way into the Black Box Theatre only to find their beloved teacher no where to be found. It was time for midterms and yet the man was M.I.A. again. Frustration and confusion began to set in upon the students who began murmuring to themselves.

"Where the heck is Sikowitz?" Jade piped up in annoyance. "I'd like to get through this class before I'm old and grey."

"I saw him a few hours ago talking to Principal Helen and Lane about something." Andre chimed in.

"Well, let's just hope nothing happened to him." Tori responded, worry evident in her voice.

"I hope nothing's happened to him!" Jade swiftly mocked, drawing her rival's ire.

"For the upteenth time, I do not sound like a character from the 1940's!" She growled.

In typical fashion, Jade wiggled her eyebrows and bit the air at Tori playfully.

Ahrya and Robbie were discussing something about the types of midterms that Sikowitz had given in the past while Liam appeared more irritated than normal. A realization that didn't go unnoticed by Tori or Jade. There was a dark aura that seemed to emanate from and it only made him seem more mysterious to them. The former looked at him with extreme concern, her snapped together as she made out his features. A few rows behind her, who was firmly wrapped in Beck's arms was doing the same and while her proverbial 'thorn in her side' was full of worry, the goth girl was filled with something else.

Fury.

She had a good idea why his demeanor was what it was. He had become reserved and into his work after being stood up by Trina a little after the showcase. She was supposed to meet him for a hangout but never responded to him. After that, he tried to get some answers from her only to receive the cold shoulder.

Despite his face seemingly appearing disinterested, both could see in his eyes, that something sinister was brewing behind those pools of emerald. There was hurt, anger, fear, and something else that neither could pinpoint at the moment. Jade and Tori then felt the urge to turn around only to find Jade doing the same thing. Behind them was in fact none other than Trina Vega, who waltzed in wearing some rather fancy clothes and a pair of fazinni sunglasses. As the students murmured among themselves, she ignored them all and sat in the front row opposite of Liam who cut his eyes at her for only a moment before returning his glare towards the stage. In response, Trina turned her nose up and returned her attention in the same direction.

Anyone with half a brain could tell that there was something more going on as the atmosphere had grown much heavier when the two interacted with each other. Fortunately, that feeling of uneasiness would take a backseat as everyone's favorite teacher made his appearance on stage.

"Ah, you're all here!" he feigned shock. "Good! Now, as you all know, the semester's nearly complete and that means it's time for midterms. That being said, many of you are required to take the exam save for a few of you. So if I call your name, you're not required to take the midterm test. The rest will be issued the exam starting next Monday. Go see Lane after this to check up on your grades."

He then pulled out a small stack of papers, shifting through various pages.

"Tori, Andre, Cat, Beck, Jade, Liam, Ahrya, and Robbie."

The other students wasted little time in heading to Lane's office, all except for Trina Vega, who was more interested in the condition of her nails. Sikowitz proceeded despite that.

"Now, with Midterms in effect, I can't leave you pups out of the fun. So, I'm issuing a challenge." This prompted everyone's attention, much to his delight. "How would you all like to attend another Sleepover at Sikowitz's?" elation practically radiated from his pores.

"Pass." not surprisingly, Jade shook her head. "The last time we were at your place, I wound up in the ER nursing a severe burn while having to play the role of an overly positive valley girl. My hand reeked of fiesta and scorched flesh for weeks after that." her focus drifted.

"Yes, well... this time will be a bit different." he comforted. "For you see, I've rented an entire floor of a hotel with a few rooms. Should you choose to participate, you'll be paired up and will endure one night with that person. Even though your grades are high enough to merit a passing grade, you'll all receive a guaranteed A in my class should you complete the challenge." He watched in anticipation as Liam was the first to agree to the terms given. Soon the others followed his actions one after another.

"I can't go..." everyone looked at a disappointed Ahrya who was staring at the floor. "I have to finish a big project for dance class before the end of the semester."

Out of the group, it was evident that Robbie was the most hurt from the confession. He was hoping to spend a bit more personal time as the two had begun to grow closer as friends during the midterm season. It seemed that would have to wait until the semester ended.

"That is unfortunate... Well I guess we'll have to..." then an idea sparked into his head. "Trina! Congratulations, you've been offered as tribute for our little get together."

This was news to everyone. Cat clapped in ignorant bliss while Andre let out a sharp breath. Beck and Jade both exchanged glances of uncertainty. Tori and Robbie turned their gazes to a stunned Liam. The look on his face was a mystery to anyone as a vein began to pop out from his neck. Nobody knew whether he would burst into laughter or erupt in a fit of rage. One thing was clear... He wanted to be no where near Trina Vega...

"Oh no. I want no part of your weird social experiment." she retorted.

Soon Sikowitz had hopped in front of her like a mad rabbit.

"Unfortunately for you, your grade in my class is so poor, if it got any lower, I could hold a funeral for it." this prompted a snicker from Jade. "Now, you can either accept the challenge and possibly come out with an A or take your chances with the exam. Your choice, Miss Vega."

* * *

Later that night, Liam pulled up to the modest hotel parking lot. Looking around for a moment, he decided to grab his bag and head inside. As he entered the building, he noticed that it was pretty much empty save for the clerk at the front desk.

"Excuse me? Is there a reservation for Sikowitz party here?"

The young woman took a moment to check on her computer. It didn't long for her lips to curl into a soft grin.

"Might I have your name, please?"

"Oh, right. Liam Patterson."

She scrolled down the list and found his name in record time. "Alright, Mr. Patterson. You should head down the left hallway and keep straight until you arrive into the banquet room. Your party should be waiting for you."

After a quick thank you, Liam made his way down the hallway. It was pretty interesting to see just how luxurious the place as each footstep brought him closer to his fated destination. What exactly did his seemingly unpredictable teacher have up his sleeve? If it was anything like what he was told by Robbie, they would be given a specific character that they'd have to stay as until the very next day. This was enough to bring a tiny feeling of confusion as it was also noted that the group had given one another their characters before leaving school. This time, there was no forewarning or preparation time which only resulted in increasing levels of anxiety. His eyes darted in various directions with each passing step. His mind wandered to what could possibly be in store for him and the others. Was his sister doing alright? How would he handle seeing Trina again. It was that thought that literally sent his mind into chaos. His eyes narrowed at the idea of HER entering his thoughts.

"Liam?" The young man jumped slightly under the touch of someone's hand resting on his shoulder. He turned around to find himself face to face with none other than Cat Valentine. "You're Liam right?"

"Oh um.. yes. I'm Liam."

To his surprise, she bounced up and down like a toddler being told they'd get their favorite toy from the store.

"Yay! So I'm not alone here." she clapped her hands and soon, Liam found himself being pulled down the rather long hallway. "I was starting to get nervous when I didn't see any of my friends here. Oh! I'm Cat by the way

Liam and Cat finally entered the banquet hall to find it completely empty aside from a lone table located at the far end. The room, though designed to be radiant and elegant, now held a ominous atmosphere. Cat instantly latched onto his arm and buried her face into the sleeve of his jacket. He reached for the nearest light switch only to find it was out of order. At that moment, both realized that they were expected to push further inside. Each step was made with caution as the two looked around the uninviting setting.

The only light was from a lone lamp and a table that held various envelopes with designated names on them. Liam and Cat took a moment to look at the other, concern meeting with fear, before they both took their respective envelopes, though the normally energetic red head made sure to remain as close to Liam as possible. When they opened them, the duo pulled out different numbered key cards and written notes.

 **Welcome to the your Sleepover Challenge,**

 **Tonight, you have been chosen to participate in this contest of will and desire. You have been given a room key where you'll be paired up and given a specific mission to complete that must not be mentioned to anyone else. Should you accomplish this, you'll succeed and be able to stay in the rooms you were given. Should you fail, you will be banished from the lavish hotel and must go elsewhere for the night. Good luck!**

Liam and Cat both finished reading the notes and took notice of the key card in their hand. On the front, was a number of a specific room that they'd be spending the night in. Cat could barely swallow the lump in her throat as she noticed that on her card was the number 3 while Liam's card held the number 5 though both were on the same floor. This allow the red haired girl to sigh in relief, if only for a moment. They both clutched the straps of their backpacks, uneasy about what potentially awaited them.

"Relax, Cat. I'm sure that Sikowitz is just trying to scare us. I doubt anything is going to happen to us, okay?" Despite his attempts, Cat continued to whimper while huddling closer to him. "I'll protect you 'til we get to our respective rooms okay?"

Cat seemed to perk up at that idea and in turn, allowed Liam to breathe a bit easier. She eagerly took his right hand in hers and began skipping along the hallway humming "If you're happy and you know it" to herself. Confusion crossed the boys mind for a bit though he thought it best to not question her process as they approached one of the elevators that would take them to where they were supposed to be.

* * *

After a pretty interesting conversation, Liam and Cat arrived at their respective doors, the former calm at the realization that they were next door to each other. On both doors was a note that explained that they were to enter whenever they were ready but wouldn't be permitted to leave the room or risk being forced to leave.

"This doesn't seem so bad." he chuckled but found that to be short lived when Cat clutched his arm. "What's wrong?"

Cat Valentine whimpered again which prompted Liam to take her hands. "I don't want to go inside..."

It took everything for Liam to suppress the blush that crept along his cheeks. He wanted to enjoy his first experience with one of Sikowitz's fun escapades but during the rather short period of time, he'd grown attached to the red haired girl. He thought that to be both a gift and a curse as his mind wandered to what awaited him behind the door to his room. What would be waiting on the other side? Did he even want to find out anymore?

"Listen, if you go into your room and you don't want to stay, knock on my door and I'll leave with you okay?"

To his delight, Cat bounced around like a child, giggling and clapping with glee much to his amusement. He meant what he said and intended to follow through should Cat dislike her experience. "KK" she replied before heading straight inside without hesitation.

As the door shut behind her, Liam could only blink a few times at everything that transpired in the last fifteen minutes or so. It was a roller coaster of the emotional spectrum to say the very least but he could inquire further about that some other time. Seconds felt like hours while he simply stared at the room number. "Great." he huffed. "I think Cat's gotten to me." he quietly admitted to himself. "But, here goes nothing."

He inserted his key card in the slot, watching the light flash red several times before turning green. Turning the handle, he grabbed his bag and headed inside. The room seemed to be simple enough, one queen sized bed, a flat screen tv, etc. He wondered what would have been so threatening that it would cause him to want to leave and abandon the challenge. He began unpacking when a click caught his ear. Turning around, he saw the door open slowly, anxious to know who his apparent roommate was. The scent of rather expensive perfume was what greeted his senses first before he could even tell the figure entering.

"Knock knock!" a voice that he'd grown to dread echoed in the room. "Congratulations on being paired with the best!"

'Oh fanfreakintastic...' he mentally groaned. 'Her'

True to his prediction, Trina finally revealed herself and her rather large amounts of luggage. Much like him, she was none to pleased to see who she was rooming with for the night. "Oh, it's you..." despite her attempt in sounding uninterested, she came off more nervous. She had done pretty well thus far at avoiding Liam during and after school while continuing her prior... agendas. To her surprise, he didn't seem to mind or care for that matter. He didn't bother to yell or try to figure out what was going with her instead, opting to focus more on his own life and goals.

"Trust me, I'm not happy about this one bit." unlike her, he succeeded in giving off an aloof demeanor as he made his way to the bathroom. "I'm only staying if Cat doesn't knock on my door to leave. I promised her I'd take her home if she forfeited the challenge.."

"That's fine by me. I wouldn't mind having the bed all to myself anyways." she snapped back much to his annoyance. "I don't want you interrupting my beauty sleep anyways."

Eyes rolling, Liam opted to just let Trina win this absurd argument before it escalated further. He wasn't in the mood for dealing with her after a long week of midterms and stressful projects. As he shut the door, various sounds began to play only to be cut off seconds later signalling to him that Trina was flipping through several channels. What seemed to be out of the ordinary was that amidst the channel surfing, he could hear sniffling every so often. Conflicted, he finished his business in the bathroom and exited half expecting Trina to try and hide her actions but instead, he found her in a similar position from when they first met.

Mascara trailed down her cheeks. Her bottom lip quivered and her breath was uneven just like that day. He knew something was wrong and obligatory feelings pushed him to sit down next to the clearly distraught girl.

"Hey, um... Something wrong?" he didn't face her directly choosing to stare outside through the sliding doors that led to the patio. He wasn't expecting much, given what he had to work with before, but he still felt like he should try to at least help if he could.

"What's it to you?" she quipped.

"I'm trying to be nice to you." he quickly retorted.

"I didn't ask you to be nice, did I?"

Growling, Liam shot up to his feet, turning to the girl who once gave him some sort of connection to hope. "My God! When they were passing out stubbornness, I swear you cut in line for a double portion. You're so bull headed and so stuck up that you can't even tell when your head is firmly up your ass!"

"Now it was Trina's turn to stand up to her feet. "Well at least I'm not out to look good just so I can impress everyone!" she fired back. "Look at me. I'm such a bad ass just because I'm handsome, quiet, and I think that makes me cool when in reality I'm just afraid of my own emotions!"

"So you think I'm handsome, huh?" a cocky smirk steadily growing along his lips.

Trina didn't realize her slip of the tongue as she covered her mouth. "N-no... I meant quiet and mysterious... er- I mean.." her face constantly turning more and more like a tomato. "J-just f-forget it..."

Liam crossed his arms tightly before raising an eyebrow. "Trina? What's going on with you?" For the first time since entering the room, his tone was gentle, just as she remembered. "You've been acting weird ever since the showcase. I know you didn't just adopt this new persona out of the blue. One day you were excited about leaving behind your old lifestyle and then one day you act like I never existed. What happened between then and now?"

Trina nearly broke down again hearing the concern in his voice. She knew he deserved an explanation but she didn't want to include him in the mess that she found herself plunged in. "I can't... I just can't tell you right now. I want to but..."

"Then why don't you?"this time desperation laced his words. It was nearly impossible for her to resist that side of him, the vulnerability mixing perfectly with his words.

She slowly approached him and for the first time in a long time, gazed into his eyes. Her breath haggard. Her heartbeat skipped. Her body shivered under his worried yet still powerful eyes. She couldn't resist. This was the real reason she'd avoided him. His smile. His laugh. The way he looked at her. His way with words was more than enough to captivate her.

Hypnotized.

She felt like she was caught in a lullaby that carried her to a world where all of her problems didn't exist. She longed to return to that place. She could return to that place right now.

She placed a hand on his chest as she was mere inches from him. To her liking, she was wrapped in his arms and gracefully pulled closer. She inhaled his scent, a modest amount of cologne invaded her senses dragging her deeper into the depths of her emotions. There was no reality anymore. Her mind was entering a new heighten state of consciousness as she felt his soft full lips press against her forehead. He adored her, no doubt about that.

"Trina, I care about you." his breath tickled her ears. "I really do..."

Her eyes widened as she felt something wet on her face. Without hesitation, she pulled away just enough to look up. She gasped softly at the sight of tears flowing freely down Liam's face. Guilt and shame clothed her like a smothering blanket at the idea that so much pain could be bottled up inside of one person. She felt even worse at the thought that she had contributed to a large portion of said pain.

"I'm so sorry..."

"Liam."

"I'm so sorry that I can't stop your suffering." he admitted as more salty tears stung his eyes.

Trina couldn't take it anymore. Her conscious was demanding she tell the truth. It called on her to give him some form of understanding. Anything would do at this point if it meant that she could assure him that he was indeed her saving grace and that things would be okay. She couldn't handle the reality of him thinking that somehow he was to blame for her life's path winding up where it was. She had to make a choice. It was only right.

She took a hand, placing it against his cheek. well manicured fingers caressed his jaw line, tracing the outline. Staring deeper, she saw that there was a hint of brown that mixed evenly with the dominant emerald tint. She took in the scent of his cologne once more but noticed that in fact it was none other than body wash mixing with his natural body scent. It was intoxicating and she loved every second of it as she slowly leaned in. If this was a dream, Trina was very well going to take it as far as she could. The last thing she saw was Liam mirroring her actions before shutting her eyes.

They pushed forwards, savoring each second as if it were their last. There were no other thoughts only instinct. As their lips grazed one another's a spark caused her to jerk just slightly. There was something there it seemed and she must respect that effect that would come with committing this deed.

"Trina..." his low tone sent shivered through her entire form.

"Liam.." she moaned, every part of her craving him beyond comprehension.

They resumed their initiation, lips once more grazing the others. Liam this time took in her scent, lavender and cinnamon. It was a peculiar combination in all honesty but he enjoyed it nonetheless. It was beyond him how he'd managed to retain his composure and not mount the young girl. He knew she wanted him too and yet, he couldn't bring himself to ravage her. He decided on letting her take the lead and allowing life to dictate where things would lead for them.

"Liam!" a loud banging on their door ripped them from their emotional hypnosis.

The two continued to stare at each other. What was only a few seconds felt like an eternity. Neither wanted to let this moment slip but once again, the sounds none other than Cat Valentine. From the sounds of things, she was not happy. Begrudgingly, they broke apart allowing him to open the door. At the door was indeed a distraught Cat who was clutching her bag.

"Cat? What's wrong?"

"I want to go home..." she whispered. Her body appeared to be trembling after closer inspection.

Liam looked back at Trina who saw it all in his eyes.

'I'm sorry...'

'I understand. You did promise...'

He flashed a sorrowful grin before collecting his things. It didn't take long but it was still enough time to be considered torturous for them. He stuffed the last of the his clothing in his overnight bag and made his way to a still upset Cat. Just before exiting the room, Trina was shocked to find herself pulled into a strong yet somewhat gentle embrace.

"Call me when you're ready to talk, Trina." She nodded slowly while reciprocating the gesture. Despite them both being clothed, she could still feel his warmth only to have it taken from her as they separated. She could only watch as he fulfilled his promise to the red head girl who giggled playfully now that she was going home. The duo knew that if it weren't for the forfeit rule of leaving the rooms before the challenge was completed, Liam would drop Cat off at home then return in a flash. Soon the two were gone leaving Trina alone in the room. Or so she thought...

As she began to shut the door, a hand stopped her progress. She watched terrified as a familiar face walked into her room.

"Beck..."

"Well that didn't go as planned did it?" he asked casually. "I bet if we'd waited another few seconds, you and Liam might have gone all the way."

Trina raised an eyebrow but remained cautious of the good looking boy. "What do you want Beck?"

"Dear Trina, it's not about what I want at all." he stepped to the side to reveal none other than Mr. Sikowitz. "It's what he wants, actually."

Trina could only stared in terror at what was about to transpire. Her mouth opened to decline this "offer" but the coconut loving teacher flashed an unnerving grin at the poor girl. "You want to pass my class, don't you?" he licked his lips sickeningly while Beck smirked.


	7. Chapter 5

**I'm going to keep this as brief as possible. Given the direction I want to go with this, I have to incorporate a massive time skip. However, I wanted to conclude the current path this story was heading down. So the next chapter will be after the time skip and enter the intended time frame. This chapter is one of the reasons why this story is rated M from now on. There is smut/lemon in this chapter so if you're underage, don't read. This is just a quick wrapping up of the introduction to Hollywood Arts arc so to speak. This particular "arc" touched on introducing the characters and touched a bit on Trina's past as well as interactions between her and Liam. The pairing is canon but not officially set in stone as I have plans for him.**

 **As always, I appreciate constructive criticism and notes on how to improve my skills in writing fiction. If there's any questions that you'd like to ask feel to post them in the review section as well. I'll be doing a Q &A in the introductions of each chapter if I receive any. Even comments are welcome as well, so drop those as well. Now, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'll be posting the next chapter after posting this one. Thank you all for your support and have a wonderful day/night. I'm off to get some sleep now as I've been writing since 10 pm last night. **

* * *

**Demon's Within**

 **Chapter 5: Acceptance of Rejections**

Trina was a wreck... It had been nearly two hours since the "Sleepover with Sikowitz 2" and things weren't getting any better for her. It didn't help that she was kicked out from the hotel after "servicing" her coconut loving teacher at the urging of Beck Oliver. Now here she was, wandering around the streets of Los Angeles in a tearful rage. Why was she walking? Tori had the car keys, a fact that she'd forgotten until attempting to get in the vehicle. She could've rushed back inside to retrieve them but the fear of having to satisfy the now creepy teacher again or, heaven forbid, some random stranger again... She left everything after the deed was done except her purse and rushed out only to find herself currently alone in the middle of the night.

Or so she thought.

"Trina? Is that you?" The voice which she recognized all to well sent a slight chill through her body.

She turned around to find Liam. An unreadable expression on his face clashed with the conflicting expression on hers. The two just stood there wondering what the other one was thinking. Trina did know what he was doing though. He was taking in the features of her face; something she'd find to be annoying and yet, equally entrancing about him. Liam knew that she was trying to read him, though unsuccessfully as per usual. Amusement welled up inside but his expression never changed. The breeze brushed there bodies, pulling them back into the grasp of reality. As the two stood under a lone street light, it would be Trina Vega who would shatter the wall of silence.

"What are you doing out here this late at night?"

Raising an eyebrow at her seemingly rough tone, Liam exhaled softly. "Nice to see you too." he responded with a touch of playful sarcasm. "I could ask you the same thing. I thought you were still at Sikowitz' sleepover..."

"And I thought you were with Cat." she fired back.

He simply smirked after hearing the red haired girls name once again being brought up. "If you're so worried about that, I dropped her off at the dorms. She's spending the night with Ahrya. I was out getting some popcorn for their movies." he held up a small plastic bag. "Now, are you going tell me what happened?"

Relief washed over Trina but was quickly replaced with shame as she looked away instantly. "Th-that's none of your business..!" She crossed her arms but left enough slack to show that she wasn't committed to her attempt at shutting him out. "But if you must know, Sikowitz gave me a B in his class after seeing you left.. I'm going home now." Her eyes returned their gaze towards him to see that, naturally, he was detecting much more was afoot.

They each held their gazes though Trina's was a bit glazed. It was as if every fiber of her being was cowering under his unrelenting gaze. "There's something you're not telling me isn't there?"

"There's nothing else to t-tell, okay?" She tried to yell back but both could hear that her tone lacked the conviction behind it. Her brown orbs glistened as she bit her lip. She couldn't understand why things were complicated between them. She clearly liked him and, judging by his actions, it was clear that the feeling was mutual. He was one of the few (and I mean very few.) people who didn't run away or treat her like an annoying pest. He respected and cared for her without an ulterior motive. Despite all of this, Trina felt afraid to be honest with him... "I- I mean.."

Trina would then find herself wrapped in the warmth of Liam's arms. It was enough for her to finally recognize that she was shivering. Once her body was pressed against his, she released the dam of tears that she'd tried so hard to hold back. He stroked her honey brown hair as she sobbed freely; wet crystals staining his shirt. He didn't mind at all though. He could feel her clutch at his jacket intensely but it didn't matter. Her make-up would stain her face but he didn't care. His lips curled into a soft smile, relief settled along his features as they stood there under the watchful gazes of the stars above.

Not noticing (nor caring about) how long they'd been in that one spot, Trina finally began to shift under his embrace while wiping her eyes of the mascara that had trailed her face. "I'm sorry..." she whispered.

"There's no need to be." he chuckled. "Why don't you come back to my place tonight?"

Before Trina could respond, a loud rumble was heard in the distance followed by a flash of lightning. She wanted to protest the invitation but found it futile at this point, nodding instead. Even though she was defeated for now, Liam noticed a ghost of a smile that she was willing and happy to accompany him. They soon found themselves traveling towards the Hollywood Arts dormitories.

It didn't take very long for them to arrive as Liam knew of various shortcuts that kept them from the more dangerous areas in between the main city and the school grounds. During their trek, the two had somehow ended up holding hands, finger interlocked for good measure. They talked about various things from their favorite television shows to hobbies and special interests before stepping through the doors of the main lobby that led to the standard rooms above. For Trina, it genuinely felt like a legitimate first date while they traveled just a bit further up the stairs, stopping at their designated floor. Liam led her down the hallway, devoid of students at this point of the night, and arrived at his and Robbie's room.

"Hold on.." he spoke up. "I have to drop this bag off for Ahrya and Cat."

She watched as he unlocked his door then rushed a bit further down the hallway to the far end, knocking rather quickly. Looking back, it was clear to her that he was actually trying to get back to her as quickly as he could. A few seconds passed before they exchanged another glance only this time, Liam was sporting a goofy smile that caused her to blush and giggle softly. Before either could enjoy the interaction, Trina watched helplessly as the boy was yanked inside, a chorus of complaints following suit. This was the perfect opportunity for her to explore the room before he got back.

The room wasn't huge but it wasn't small either as it appeared just right for about two or three people to take up residency in.

"Comics. Video games. Journal..." Trina doubled back. "Journal?"

On the top bunk was a leather bound book that appeared to have been shoved under the mattress. Curiosity began to grip her, mind, body, and soul as soon, she would find her hand being drawn to the treasure that lied before her. It wouldn't be right for her to just invade someone's privacy and yet, she felt herself desiring to know of the contents inside more with each passing moment. It was as if time stood still while her palms began to sweat. She was mere inches away... Her fingertips would graze the material binding the pages together. Her eyes never left that book, despite knowing she should've been keeping an eye out for Liam's return.

"I wouldn't if I were you..."

"Speak of the devil." She giggled again though this time due to her being caught. "I'm really sorry."

To her surprise, he simply laughed at her nearly jumping out of her skin. It was safe to say that she wasn't amused at his response though as she huffed at him.

"It's alright, Trina." She seemed content now once he assured her that no harm was done. "Besides, that journal is empty anyways..."

This of course earned him a slap in the arm for his troubles. He attempted to apologize but was instead interrupted by her wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"You know what I mean..." she whimpered. "I'm sorry for not telling you what happened all this time. If only I'd been willing to admit that I was forced back into..."

His response was predictable yet desired as he placed a finger on her full lips before returning the hug. The feeling of warmth soothed her very essence. Being held by someone who cared for her felt like all her troubles didn't exist anymore. A sigh of contentment passed passed her lips before gazing up at Liam. Incidentally, her honey brown orbs wound up locked with his emerald gems. The two felt themselves slowly gravitating towards the other. Inch by inch, seconds overlapped. Distance became a non factor as Trina found herself lost in another world far beyond reality. Electricity flowed between them as their lips were but a millimeter apart.

Then, contact...

It was like their souls became intertwined as their breaths synchronized in harmony. Two halves became whole... if only for a moment. The combination of lust and love balanced out as various clothes began to hit the floor of the room Liam shared. Trina was the first to finish, only her underwear remaining at this point. Liam, however, only succeeded in removing the upper garments. A never ending trail of beautiful chocolate skin captivated her. To her, he was perfect.

Something that both excited and scared her.

As if reading her mind, Liam gently placed his hands on her sides. His touch was like nothing she'd ever felt before. That familiar feeling of safety and freedom welled up from her core as she wrapped her arms around his neck, planting her lips unto his once more. He responded just as she'd hoped he would. His soft lips massaging her own. His hands exploring every curve, savoring every inch of her body. She wasn't thin and toned like her younger sister, Tori but it didn't matter anymore. She was full figured and it seemed that he was trying his best to love every part of her as best he could. He moans as her fingers had become intertwined in his loc's, tugging on then ever so slightly. His rebuttal came in him cupping her plump butt. It was a game, domination & submission, and neither wanted to lose this round. They both managed to keep things at a stalemate. Just as one appeared to have conquered the other, they would find themselves teased back to square one.

Trina's neck.

Liams' ear.

Their number one weaknesses exploited from the beginning though both stayed strong. Soon they were both on the top bunk kissing and touching each other. Soon the game turned into something more serious. Trina was the one to pull away from their lip lock allowing her beloved to finally notice that he too was now only in his boxers. Attempts to ask how she accomplished this were laid to rest as she would latch her lips onto his anytime he tried to speak.

"Liam... sweetie?" she cooed. "I- I want you..."

This was enough for him to begin to shake off the cobwebs in his mind. Did he hear her correctly? Trina wanted him to make love, something that nobody had been able to do despite her past...

"Trina.. I- I don't know if-"

"Please!" her tone suggested a deep and burning sense of longing and desire but it was laced with something else. Something familiar.

Desperation.

He could see it in her eyes. She was in love with him and wanted to seal that connection between them. Her eyes danced like fireflies. Her bottom lip quivered. He could feel her hands resting against his chest begin to tremble. There was so much that he wanted to say to her first. He wanted the night to be even more special.

"Is it your first time?" His pupils dilated at her perception while his body reacted as if on auto-pilot. Nodding was his only way of response and Trina bit her lips seductively. "Then let's be each other's first.." her voice, though but a whisper, had a sultry tone behind it. This was overwhelming, and he loved every second. Her fingers trailed down his smooth jawline stopping just short of the stubble of a beard on his chin. He knew there was no going back after this. Love would most certainly claim residency in his heart and Trina was the roommate.

No more words were needed as Trina Vega removed her bra before finding herself being flipped on her back carefully. Liam made sure that she was both comfortable and as far away from the edge as possible. His hands began to tug at the waist band of her pink and black panties while she lifted her lower half to assist in the removal. As a show of good faith, he then removed his boxers allowing his manhood to dangle freely. Liam Patterson & Trina Vega remained in their respective positions, taking in the sight of the other in their full glory. Neither wanted to pull their gazes away from their lover's body but Trina knew that with each passing second, her desire threatened to erupt into a monster that neither would be able to tame if either didn't make a move.

She took hold of and guided his noticeably large member at her vagina, her mind unable to form a proper comparison for his size. She began to stroke it gently, gasping at how it felt as it grew to it's full length under her feather like touch. Liam positioned his body just above her and, with the last bit of sense existing in his (upper brain), he reached just past Trina and turned off the lamp that dimly lit the room. He moaned as they both were now ready for what came next. His throbbing cock twitched as it made contact with her slit. It was so warm, wet, and tight that he feared hurting her.

"Trina I-"

His words were irrelevant now. She sat up and gripped his waist, prompting him to push inside of her. He clenched his eyes shut as inch by inch of him became engulfed in the flames of pleasure and lust. He only stopped once he felt her virgin barrier; the moment of truth. Despite the darkness around them, there was just enough light shining through the window for him to see her features. Though her body tensed at the feeling of his organ against her hymen, her eyes told him all he needed to know. She wanted this just as much as he did. She wanted to show him how special he was to her and how meaningless her past life was before him. She finalized all of that when she wrapped her legs around his waist, preventing any escape. He leaned in, her arms again wrapped around his neck, and crashed his mouth onto hers just before thrusting in her as hard as he could. She clutched and dug her nails deep in his back and let out a mighty cry. Tears flowed without resistance as he broke down her wall yet wouldn't relent on the kiss that muffled her voice.

He winced and grunted as her nails pierced his skin, drawing blood but he refused to stop until her crying subsided. He wouldn't let her suffer the pain alone. It took a few minutes for the pain in her pelvis to begin dulling and soon her cries of pain shifted into a whimper. Liam felt her start to relax, much to his relief. She pulled her nails out scratching him pretty deep before letting her hands rest on his lower back. He kissed her tears then shifted himself to push further inside of her. She gasped again as his girth massaged her insides gently. Her toes curled while he adjusted once more and began gaining a rhythm. An expert he wasn't but it didn't take a rocket scientist to pay attention to how Trina's body reacted to his motions.

"Liam..." she moaned as he rocked her body against the bed. She couldn't believe what was happening... she was having sex- no. She was making love with Liam who was grinding inside of her, enjoying the sensations coursing throughout her very being. This was more than just physical satisfaction however. They were connected spiritually now. No matter what happens after this, they were forever bound by the reality of being one another's first. Her moans suddenly grew in volume as her beloved savior, friend, and lover rolled his hips thus allowing himself to provide her with more deliberate strokes that forced her to succumb to the first orgasm of her life. As he laid on top of her, not losing his concentration, she buried her face into him and bit down on his shoulder. In response, she was rewards with not a moan but a deep growl that rivaled that of a wild beast. This was all the motivation he needed to let loose without anymore fear or worry. They both spent the remainder of that night learning one another's body triggers before Liam felt a tingling in his groin that both recognized as the final conclusion of this escapade.

Trina, barely able to focus, managed to place a hand on his chest causing him to stop in confusion. He made out that she was trying to get from under him and aided her only to find himself flipped on his back. In a matter of seconds, she wrapped her lips around him and began to lick and suck on his member. Tasting herself on him only turned her on even more as she furiously teased and bobbed on him. She pulled out every trick in the book that she knew, savoring his vulnerability. Finally the conclusion came and to his surprise, she clamped her free hand over his mouth just before he erupted like a geyser in her mouth. Trina didn't stop though, instead opting to milk him for every last drop. Reaching his orgasm was more than enough to drain him of what little energy he had.

Soon the lovers, sweaty and worn out wound up under the covers, Trina snuggled deeply on top of the young man. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her which brought a smile on her face. Slumber soon claimed Liam but not before he placed a quick kiss on his lover's forehead.

"I love you, Trina..." he whispered just as he succumbed to exhaustion.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

'He loves me back?' she pondered her mind was going a thousand miles an hour at this point. While that happened, she could hear the faint sounds of a phone vibrating. her phone... Her legs were like noodles thanks to the young man who was now lightly snoring under her. To her, it was adorable and it only served to make things more difficult for her as she slowly shifted her body from the bed. Thankfully, there was a ladder attached to the bed so she just had to climb down rather than attempting to jump down.

The tingling from the waist down didn't make it any easier but Trina somehow managed to reach the floor without falling. She sifted through the small pile of clothes until she found her pants and still vibrating phone in the back pocket. The extremely bright light illuminated the room, startling her in the process. She sat on the bottom bunk and checked the screen to see that she had 10 unread messages, 7 missed calls, and 4 voice mails. She checked the contacts first and saw that her sister had called her twice and even messaged her a few times involving her disappearance and heading home after getting kicked out of Sikowitz's challenge. The other calls and messages were from none other than Beck who sounded angry judging from the tone of his messages. One in particular stood out to her and struck dread in her heart.

 ***Sender: Beck-10:18 pm**

 **New clients coming tomorrow. Get some new outfits and you'd better bring your A game or else you'll face the consequences!**

 ***Sender** : **Beck-10:29 pm**

 **Pick up the damn phone bitch!**

 ***Sender: Beck- 11:00 pm**

 **When I see you again, you're going to be in deep trouble :(**

Trina Vega didn't even bother to listen to the voice mails, instead quietly getting dressed. As she pulled her clothes on, she spared glances at a still unconscious Liam. It was the only piece of solace she had but the old Trina began to resurface. She knew he would protect her from Beck if she just revealed his involvement. He didn't hesitate to rescue her from the trio of boys that accosted her at the showcase. He could've been hurt and yet, he still stuck his neck out for her without hesitation. Why would anything be different now? Surely he could take on Beck with minimum effort right? But, that would be selfish of her to keep dragging him into her problems. She also knew that Beck would just retaliate and possibly wind up doing much worse to Liam. She loved him too much to put him through that kind of hell.

It took a few more minutes of redressing but Trina was ready to put her plan into action. The last thing she did was kiss Liam on the forehead then exited the now quiet room, leaving him to rest peacefully from what was, in her mind, the most wonderful night of her young life. Shutting the door behind her, she steeled her gaze and prepared for what she felt she had to do. There was nothing she could do here anymore... Remembering the path taken earlier in the night, she easily made her way back home, checking every now and then for signs of danger along the way. Half an hour later, she had successfully arrived at her home without detection.

Slipping through the back door, Trina tip toed past her parents who were knocked out on the couch with the main menu of some movie playing on the TV. Thankfully her room was practically around the corner. She then began packing a couple of suitcases with the bare necessities. Her plan was simple enough. She was going to run away to somewhere far away. She had to escape this life. It was her only option now. She tried standing strong but it only served to make things worse for her. With two suitcases full of clothes and important items, Trina had only one last thing to do before enacting her plan.

Looking down at her nightstand, she opened the top drawer and ripped out of few sheets of paper from her old diary. She began writing on them as swiftly as possible while trying to keep it legible enough to be read. She didn't waste a lot of time and finished her letters and folded them and writing down who they were intended for. After stuffing them in a safe place, she crept of the window and without delay, ran into the night in search of a new beginning.

Tears stung her eyes but she didn't let that stop her.

Fear gripped her heart yet she pressed onward.

Doubt and guilt slithered around her mind but she wouldn't be deterred.

Only love caused her to slow down... It felt like a massive weight had fallen on top of her, grounding her into the pavement. She looked back but for a moment knowing that her actions would come off as more of a betrayal than anything. She wanted nothing more than to turn back around and rest in Liam's arms again. Unfortunately, she knew that wouldn't be a reality without some form of backlash from her past. The only thing she knew to be efficient was to leave far far away; a place where the past could no longer haunt her. A place where she could start over...

The short internal debate ended and Trina Vega walked on into the night in search of her own peace.

"You're doing the right thing..." she mentally chanted as she disappeared just as dawn appeared.

* * *

"What do you mean Trina just disappeared?!" Liam roared in unadulterated rage.

Andre, Robbie, Ahrya, and Cat cowered but Tori seemed unfazed by his tone. "What I mean, Liam, is that according to this note she wrote, Trina said she was leaving. She never specified why or where she was going. All she said is that she needed to start over and that she loved us all."

To say that he was irate would be an understatement. The last thing he remembered (all details aside) was falling asleep with Trina lying on his chest. When he woke up, he found no trace of her and wondered if she was in danger. He knew of her past and that was evidence enough for him to assume that she was in trouble. He found his way to the Vega residence along with the others riding along aside from Tori and Andre. The younger Vega sister could easily see betrayal behind his eyes. While unknowing the full extent, she did know that the two had formed a bond of friendship at least which justified his feelings. Her parents, while upset, decided against calling in the police considering she was at least 18 years old and left a note. It wasn't much and that annoyed Tori the most about all of this but she chose to direct her attention to the one person who was worried about her sister as much as she was, if not more so.

"Liam, maybe she left some sort of clue or something?" she cautiously placed a hand on his shoulder. "We can look together if you want."

He looked up at Tori Vega, unsure of what to do. Taking notice of things, she motioned for Andre and the others to give them privacy. As they left, Tori failed to remember one minor detail.

"Yo, Vega..! You're out of toilet paper..."

Jade West.

The goth girl was somehow unaware of the commotion while in the bathroom, eating a burrito.

"What was with all of that yelling?"

"Jade, not now... can you please leave?" Tori groaned. "We're kind of in the middle of something right now."

"Not until I find out what I missed out." she then took noticed of the dejected form that was Liam Patterson. "What's with bump on a log?"

"He's just upset about Trina's disappearance, okay?" she responded while flashing a look that said to 'drop the subject'.

Obviously, Jade completely missed the warning. Her attention was on devouring her double bean burrito.

"I don't know why he's so broken up over Trina?" she once more missed another 'warning', this time in the form of Liam himself slowly lifting his head towards her. "She wasn't really important. She had zero talent and nobody liked her."

In a flash, time no longer existed as everything that occurred next seemed to happen all in one second. Tori found herself shoved onto the couch and Jade ended up mounted by Liam whose eyes were like a feral dog's. She had shown signs of fear a handful of times and she could add this moment to that short list as her body shivered under his grasp. He was snarling at her, his glare firmly locked onto her shifting eyes. Finding no way out, she was forced to accept whatever consequences came next. Still refusing to meet his near demonic gaze, Jade was brought out of her pity party when something wet fell on her face. Making sure to move her head as slowly as possible, Jade found that he was crying. From her viewpoint, she could see more than just unbridled fury.. there was betrayal behind what was deemed to be the window to the soul.

'Interesting..' she gazed at him with empathy and understanding. "I think I understand now..."


	8. Chapter 6

**Demon's Within**

 **Chapter 6: What's Happening to Us?**

It had been well over two years since Trina's disappearance and to say that some things had changed would be an understatement. The gang were becoming seniors at Hollywood Arts and were eager to enjoy the perks that came with the status. Robbie and Ahrya were officially a couple during summer vacation after their sophomore year. Things really became serious when they both found out the applied at the local coffee shop a few blocks away from the dorms. It seemed that over time, they both exchanged mutual interests and goals that coincided with one another's and after an accidental encounter during an evening rush, Robbie wound up asking her out. Needless to say, it was a long time coming in Ahrya's mind as she eagerly accepted. Their only bump in the road was Liam, her brother, and Robbie's roommate. To know fear was to know all the things that Liam had planned should Robbie ever decided that he wanted to hurt his friend's sister.

The rather adorable couple walked through the doors of Hollywood Arts, being rather cutesy as usual since day one. This year though, Robbie Shapiro had done away with his traditionally nerdy look and, with some help from his significant other, agreed to a makeover. His hair was cut a little shorter, though still retained its natural curl. Over time, he got involved with a workout regimen with Liam & Andre and began pushing his body to the limit. After a few months, Robbie noticed cuts and muscles that he never knew he had appeared before his very eyes. This soon became a regular thing that the trio do about three times a week, mostly on weekends that resulted in positive results for them.

"Another day, another moment with you, my beloved." Robbie planted a kiss on Ahrya's neck, causing her to giggle in response.

"Babe...!" she shooed him away playfully. "Stop before Lane catches us or worse."

"Awww what could be worse than being caught by Lane." he winked.

Suddenly a heavy hand clamped down on Robbie's shoulders, a chill running through his veins. As his body tensed us, he slowly turned his head to find none other than:

"Andre?! What the hell?"

The musician erupted with laughter. "Relax Rob. Don't go peeing your pants!"

Neither was amused at their friend's antics but he continued his barrage of laughs.

Ahrya rolled her eyes playfully just as the bell rang. Leaning in, she kissed her boyfriend's cheek before vanishing around the corner but not before flashing a rather flirtatious gaze at him. Robbie's face turned a deep shade of red, which only fueled Andre's laugh-a-thon even more. Robbie resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he opened his locker to sort away some books. Eventually, the dark skinned boy made it back to his feet, wiping a few remaining tears.

"Sorry Rob." he took in a deep breath. "I couldn't resist messing with you, buddy. You were at the right place at the right time."

"Yeah well, It's not like you haven't pulled that stunt before." sarcasm lacing his tone. "Anyways, have you seen Liam? He wasn't in the room when I woke up."

Andre shook his head much to his dismay. "Sorry, I haven't seen him since practice last night. Maybe he decided to skip school or something."

Both didn't hesitate to crack up from that notion. While neither had any idea of Liam's whereabouts, they both found it hysterical at the mention of him playing hooky. This left them with one important question: "So, where is Liam then?"

* * *

Jade, did you really have to make the new girl cry like that?" a certain Latina complained while stomping after her pale skinned girl. The goth pressed onward while taking a sip of coffee, turning a corner near the janitor's closet. Zigzagging through the sea of students, Jade had no intentions of answering for her actions. "You can't keep ignoring me, Jade!"

"Go away, Vega!" she yelled back. Soon, her speed walk transitioned into a sprint. "It's none of your damn business!"

Soon the two were on a full on game of cat & mouse with Tori gaining on her. After Trina's disappearance, Tori had a lot more pent up frustrations that usually resulted in her and Jade's altercations being more physical in the long run. The tension between her and Jade only grew over the two years that had passed. Jade hadn't fared any better, being more aggressive and scarier towards the students. It was alarming how much the two's rivalry would escalate now that the 'Other Vega' was no longer around. They were practically like an angel and demon personified at this point.

"Jade, get back here!" an angry Tori roared while maneuvering expertly around the bodies that separated her from her target, each step bringing her closer. Just when she was only an arm's length away, Jade somehow slipped just out of her grasp then cut into the Black Box Theatre. After pushing her way through a small group of students, Tori stuck her head inside only to find nobody inside. Feeling an ultimatum approaching, she knew that either her frenemy was hiding in this very room or was surely putting more distance between them with each passing second. Frustration started to set in Tori's mind. "Jade...!" she called out.

The silence was her only response.

Tori huffed before rushing out of the theater and reigniting her hunt for the ivory skinned girl. Just as the door shut, her target let out a sneeze, unable to suppress it any longer. She was fortunate that there was a pile of heavy duty totes full of tech supplies that she could hide behind. Jade West finally exhaled slowly, fatigue and irritation claiming its hold on her.

"A bit early for you two, isn't it?"

Terror lifted Jade off of the floor. Barely containing the full on scream that was steadily building within her vocal chords. That sense of fear soon contorted into rage towards that poor unfortunate soul idiotic enough to commit such a boneheaded act. With her fists balled so tight her knuckles took on an entirely new shade of white, Jade turned to throw a slap only to be caught at the wrist by an all too familiar face.

"Beck?" her voice was but a whisper.

"Hey, babe. You look surprised to see me.." His response was somewhat cheerful and yet retained a tone of warning.

Jade's eyes narrowed in both annoyance and disgust. "What do you want, Oliver?" she demanded through gritted teeth.

Beck let out a dry chuckle in response. "Don't tell me you're still mad at me, Jade." he pouted. "I thought you forgave me for what happened?"

"Whether I did or not, I told you to stay away from me." she seethed. "I don't want to be around you unless we're around the group."

His rebuttal was simply caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. In most circumstances, Jade would instinctively purr like a kitten but now it only served to strengthen her disdain towards the young man. This didn't go unnoticed by Beck. He knew quite well that he and Jade now had a strained relationship after catching him in bed with some Northridge girl after a house party about a year ago. The wedge only got driven further once she started noticing Beck's behavioral change. After finding out about Trina running away, her once loving and carefree boyfriend had taken on a new persona, one that was the complete opposite. He was more detached from things that would normally spark his sense of morality. He had a much darker reaction to things such as the incident itself and while there wasn't any close connection between them, it seemed like whenever the subject of Trina was brought up, he would become more and more agitated. With all of those things and then some, Jade began to grow more and more distant from Beck Oliver though something still kept her around.

Maybe it was the sex. Perhaps there was still a spark between them?

No.

The reason for Jade's staying with Beck was all in his eyes. His cold, calculating eyes burned through to her soul. It was like a virus, looking into those pools of dark brown. If you stared too long, you were bound to end up with some form of infectious attachment. With things the way they currently were, everyone saw Beck and Jade were estranged but few knew what really went on behind the scenes, sometimes even Jade was clueless. After the events two years ago, Beck had become more aggressive and possessive of his supposedly long term girlfriend. After a full year, Jade began noticing his abnormal behavior, especially when certain subjects or people were the topics of discussion.

Right now, she was a victim of his possessiveness despite the two being broken up. His Terra orbs, gateway to the abyss, ogled her up and down. She shut her eyes tight, that dreaded feeling of helplessness obvious as she shivered while in his grasp. Beck savored moments like this where he could truly relish in the sensation of domination he held over someone else.

"We both know you miss this, Jade." his words tickled her ear like soft velvet yet stung like a million needles piercing her all the same. He leaned in close, inhaling her scent. "Jasmine. My favorite..." he whispered.

'Please someone, even Vega, walk through that door.' she mentally pleaded. Her eyes darted around the room, hope fading with each passing second. Deep down, Jade realized that there was only one person who really knew the truth about the two's arrangement but here she was experiencing the results of her damnable pride. Where was Andre, or Cat? Hell, she would've accepted Tori popping back in and noticing her compromising position.

"Hello? Jade?"

Both of their gazes traveled in the direction of the voice, a masculine yet concerned tone that elicited opposite reactions. For one, comfort and relief flowed throughout their body while the other, deep seeded hatred and fear. To be caught in this compromising position would only end in a full on fight, one that Beck knew he couldn't win face to face. He cut his eyes to the girl trapped under his glare, his smoldering fury the only thing that kept her from yelling out to her savior.

Liam.

Smirking, Jade could hear the footsteps wandering around the theater. It was only a matter of time before he discovered them and they knew it.

"This isn't over..." he mouthed to her before slithering away towards a side exit.

"Jade? I know you're in here..." Liam called out in amusement. "If you're planning on jumping me from behind..." he warned, though with a smug grin on his face.

"Relax, dingus. I'm right here." her smirk apparent as she sashayed towards the stage. "If I was going to surprise you, I'd start by picking a different location. Besides, I could've sworn you loved our games of 'hide and seek'." Liam Patterson simply rolled his eyes in mock displeasure at the young woman, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms.

"That may be, but that still doesn't excuse your actions lately." he wagged a finger. "Why you decided to hurt the new girl's feelings like that is beyond me. After that, you threw food at Tori for confronting you, led her on a 'high speed' chase only to lose her in here... again..." The mere mention of Jade managing to lose Tori in the Black Box over and over again was enough to leave him scratching his head. "I still don't know why that is."

Jade, who found everything oh so delightful, giggled at that last statement. "It's a mystery to me too. At least this time she stuck her head inside before rushing off."

The atmosphere between the two, though civil and somewhat carefree, still retained a wall that prevented them from enjoying it. Jade's lips formed a straight line as the young man sat down next to her. He was no fool and she knew better than to even attempt to pretend. The two knew that her actions weren't just for the sake of being mean or some petty move to assert her status. "Jade, why did you do these things?"

Her lips lifted into a wicked smirk before kissing his cheek, barely able to suppress a laugh after his cheeks began to glow a lighter shade of brown. His eyes widened before he began opening and closing his mouth like a fish. Neither said a word for a few minutes, just the sweet melody of silence enveloping them. That sense of peace wouldn't last long however as Liam placed his hand on top of hers. Much like earlier, Jade felt a tremendous feeling welling up inside of her, only this time, feelings of contentment and vulnerability threatening to surface.

Liam regained his composure, though his blushing cheeks remained, much to his disdain. Jade always felt she had the advantage but chose not to poke the beast.

"Sorry, Liam. I couldn't resist."

He shook his head at her response, opting to fulfill his intended purpose. "Anyways, why are you hiding in here from Tori again?"

With a huff, she crossed her arms under her ample bosom. "Fine. I saw this chick approach- someone and it didn't sit well with me. She tried to challenge me and wound up with a case of broken ego. Veg- er, Tori showed up and, well let's just say she currently looks more down to earth than usual." she resisted the urge to snort at her own corny joke. Surprisingly, it was Liam who chuckled. "You're so lame sometimes." he managed to get out only to earn him a solid punch in the shoulder from a flustered and angry Jade West.

"S-shut up!" she pouted, azure orbs fixated on the floor now.

"It does explain the various vegetables in her hair though..." he let his gaze wandered off. "But it still doesn't explain why you threw your salad at her in the first place."

"You really want to know?" she twiddled with her fingers. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him nod.

Jade and Liam soon realized the answer would only be found out at a later time as the bell blared in their ears. The gothic queen of Hollywood Arts was the first to pull her hand from his though not without remiss. Soon Liam was forced to watch her make her way out, taking notice of the extra sway of her hips. "Don't forget, we have to meet with Vega tonight about that... thing." Her eyes were full of guilt as she looked at the floor. "Text you the details before school lets out."

And with that, she was gone, robbing him of a chance to respond. He instinctively reached for his bag only to remember that he didn't bring it with him. It was left in his last class. He groaned before rushing off to his destination but not before an all too familiar thought flooded his mind.

The reason for the aforementioned 'thing'.

Code: Therapy...

After about three months after Trina's left, the family hadn't been any closer to finding a single clue about her whereabouts. Nearly a year later, Trina was in the eye of the media storm. Somehow, word leaked that Officer David Vega's daughter had been missing and that spelled the beginning of the end for the respect between Liam and them, though he kept that revelation to himself. The Vega's appeared distraught, to say the least, after weeks of giving statements to the police and press such as: 'They had no idea why she would want to run away.' or 'They raised her in a loving home.' and his personal favorite, 'We love you, Trina! Please come home!'. While those watching and keeping up with the 'search' would sympathize with the parents, anyone who knew Trina to any degree knew the truth.

Out of the group, Tori and Liam were irritated and disgusted respectively. Both had witnessed how the older girl's parents interacted with her on a consistent basis. They rarely paid attention to her and when they did, it was to get her out of their hair as soon as they could. It was clear to the two friends that they favored their more mild-mannered daughter over their oldest child. The fact that they were putting on a faux act for the cameras was enough to make Liam want to vomit. In the end, he chose to only come around the Vega house whenever Tori needed comforting, which was a lot at this time. Fortunately, the parents were out of town for the weekend and wouldn't be back until the following Tuesday.

Liam breathed a sigh of relief when Tori mentioned that after inviting he and Jade over.

The three had grown rather close after his initial meltdown on Jade. He still held in quite a bit of anger but kept that a secret from everyone else. In fact, the whole incident and aftermath were never mentioned to anyone outside of the three. It wasn't something that needed to be expressed to anyone either. The only downside to that came when the parents found out thus forcing the trio to push their independent feelings aside for the time being. However, Tori and Jade had come up with the idea to discuss everything they were feeling. Something that Liam regretted agreeing to at first. But after what had transpired earlier, he was reluctantly willing to cooperate.

"What a monster I was..." he reached for the door handle only to receive a sucker punch.

His head cracked against the door forcing him to collapse with a sickening thud. His vision was blurry now so he didn't see his assailant's boot collide with his face before succumbing to the darkness.

* * *

Later on that night, Tori and Jade were none too pleased.

"Where is that big jerk?" Jade checked her watch for the tenth time in fifteen minutes. It was nearing nine o'clock and she was growing more and more impatient as the seconds ticked by. Tori sat on the couch, trying her best to distract herself with whatever was on television.

"Maybe he's running late?" she spoke up while flipping through several stations.

Instead of lashing out, Jade took a moment to weigh that idea. It wouldn't be surprising if that were the case but one thing soured Tori's attempt at quelling her irritation. "That may be, but how do you explain him not letting us know? I've tried calling him and he hasn't picked up or replied to any of my texts." She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Care to explain that flaw in your logic?"

"Well um-" Suddenly the sound of knocking caught the two's attention. "Oh thank God.." Tori muttered; grateful that Jade's petrifying gaze was no longer directed at her. "Saved by the knock!"

Immediately, she and Jade rushed over to the door prepared to give their friend a piece of their [collective and individual] minds. What they saw left them speechless. Standing outside of her house was, in fact, Liam but he was not in a good mood. As he walked past them, they both gasped at the sight before them. He was outfitted with various bandages from the head down to his torso. His right eye was slightly swollen and his eyebrow had some strips place on it to keep the wound closed. His face was covered in dark, almost purple colored bruises, as was the rest of his body. His upper body was wrapped in bandages that had large damp red spots in several places under his fitted sleeveless shirt. Some of the rose colored stains were still growing in size under the dingy material.

"Liam, what the hell happened to you?" Jade pointed towards a trail of blood that appeared to be flowing near his shoulder. One of the wounds must've been reopened. Or never properly closed. Rage welled up from within as he turned to her, giving her full view of the cut on his left cheek that somehow resembled a cross. **(10 bonus points if you guess where that's from)** "Who did this?!" she growled.

"I don't know..." he tossed his duffle bag beside the couch. "...I was attacked from behind. Next thing I know I woke up groggy with a roll of bandage on top of me."

Tori's struggled to keep her cool but could feel her resolve fade quickly. "We need to get you cleaned up."

Liam was about to protest but a steady glare from both girls put a quick end to that before he could open his mouth. Despite his own disgruntled feelings about what happened, he sensed it would be best if he didn't try to get into a battle with them. "Um... I'll take that shower then?" Tori leaned forward, her gaze never faltered. "Uh..now?" she nodded but Jade merely crossed her arms as if to say: 'You're not off the hook yet'. "Fine. I volunteer to open up the discussion once I get out?"

Solace filled his heart once Jade rolled her eyes and pointed towards the stairs which he swiftly made a run for. (or limp considering his various wounds.)

"It's the second door on the right!" Tori yelled out, earning a 'thank you' in return.

The hot water on his skin felt like tiny daggers stabbing him. He grits his teeth and clenches his eyes shut, doing his best to hold in the cry of sheer pain racking through him. It was true that his assault at school was much worse than even let on. Despite his high pain threshold, Liam was grateful that the water was starting to cool down thus providing him some degree of comfort. Making sure to clean off the extra blood, he gingerly scrubbed his toned chest, wincing every so often when he made contact with a deep laceration. 'Argh! I'm going to murder the clowns that did this to me.' he vowed.

He was yanked out of his internal strife by the sound of the shower door opening. "What the hell?!" he was shocked to find Jade West so blatantly watching his nude body like it was normal. "What are you doing?" he asked dumbly while trying to hide his 'cash and prizes'. HE got his answer in the form of Jade licking her lips rather seductively. Her eyes were locked firmly on his crotch which didn't help his situation at all.

Thoughts.

So many thoughts crossed her mind.

'Oh the things I'd do...' she mused as she began to witness his 'little friend' growing. From what she saw earlier, he was well endowed, even when soft.

"Jade?!" Blinking rapidly, Jade West found herself brought back to reality. "What are you doing?"

She took notice of his red cheeks which only made him look cuter to her. "Oh um... Veg- I wanted to bring you a towel. We weren't sure if you had one." This time it was the goth's turn to blush as a faint pink tint crept along her cheeks. "Well, I'll let you finish up... After you get dressed, Tori and I need to check your wounds to make sure their properly dressed."

"Thanks, Jade. I appreciate it." his lips formed a nervous smile, considering he was still somewhat exposed for her to see. That awkward silence settled upon them for what felt like ages, neither wanting to admit it though. It was one of those situations where speaking up could make things even weirder. There had to be a way for them both to walk away from this without escalating the moment.

"Jade what the hell?!"

'Twice in minutes...' Liam/Jade mentally groaned.

"What's the problem?"

If looks could talk, Tori's face would clearly ask why she was eyeing Liam like a slab of beef? It was at that second, Tori found herself staring at the silhouette of Liam, all of him. Needless to say, it was more than enough to cause one Tori Vega to faint in the hallway. The last thing she saw? Liam's engorged flag pole.

"Maybe we should help her out?" Liam asked sheepishly.

Jade tapped her chin then shook her head. "Nah, I'd rather enjoy the view."

Ripping the towel from his flirtatious friend, Liam barely caught Jade biting at him seductively.

"It's going to be a long night..." he groaned.

"You've said a mouthful." she smirked, much to his embarrassment and chagrin.

With a slight frown, Liam pushed past the girl rushing to grab some clothes from his bag downstairs. "You just enjoy being a pain in my ass sometimes, don't you?"

Jade's smirk only grew bigger, as did her dirty mind. "Funny, I was about to ask you for the same thing." Futile as it may have been, she tried her best not to roll over laughing at him.

"Oh, come on..." he moped.

"On my tits or inside me?" she stuck her bottom lip out in pure puppy dog fashion.

"I just can't win with you can I?" Liam swore he could feel a vein in his forehead about to pop.

"Probably not..." he let out a breath neither realized he'd been holding in. "...but you can definitely score..."

A blank stare...

That was all he gave her before walking away. "Definitely sleeping downstairs." he huffed.

"I'm sure Tori's bed is a bit more comfortable for us!" she yelled out, amused when he shouted something incoherent in the distance. The victory was assured when she noticed a still unconscious Tori lying in the hallway. With her signature scoff and eye roll, Jade decided that this would be a fun weekend for them all.

* * *

 **To say this was a short chapter would be an understatement. I wanted to really get the time skip started while explaining a few things that'll be in this arc. First off the time skip as a whole**

 **First, the time skip takes place a little over two years after Trina ran away. I wanted to give a bit of extra time rather than taking the predictable route of timing everything around that exact time and coming up with a memory type thing. I wanted to play off of the fact that unless Trina Vega was actually around physically or mentioned directly, she wasn't really a blip on most of the character's radar, including her parents. Let's be honest, unless they directly were involved with her, they would treat her like a mosquito and brush her off as quickly as possible. Considering this story has a darker, more mature tone to it, I wanted to express that as possible.**

 **Her parents basically are using the fact that she's disappeared as a way to milk the media of press time and attention. There will be plenty of interactions between them and certain characters. In fact, Mr. Vega will definitely play a role with two of the male characters, Liam & Beck. Speaking of them, I will admit that there were some minor issues with setting up Beck's character in the first arc pre time-skip. To clear this up: Beck starts off just like his character was in the serious though it's really a cover up for his true intentions and desires. He is a high-rank leader in the prostitution world both inside and outside of school. As things played out, he received more and more authority as time went on and now he wants to be next in line for the head position.**

 **His involvement with Trina is, in fact, directly responsible for her role as a call girl though under special conditions. Under orders, she couldn't have vaginal sex until after her graduation and 18th birthday. (post time-skip she would be about 20 years old). Before this happened, she decided to defy both Beck and his boss by sharing her virginity with Liam before running away without a trace. Where did she go?... Er.. I'm still working on that, actually.**

 **Lastly, the formation of Liam, Jade, and Tori. While only touched in this chapter, I feel the need to give some insight on this pairing. Tori and Liam are both devastated about Trina being gone. (Liam through love and friendship and Tori via love and sisterhood.) They both share an equal amount of guilt and shame while also expressing disgust and contempt for the parents respectively. Jade comes into this on the heels of nearly being mauled by Liam pre-skip and somehow understanding his feelings and reaction. It also goes without saying that she also harbors some romantic feelings for Liam that currently are at the crush level. While Tori did show a tiny bit of jealousy, it's not confirmed whether or not she will pursue Liam considering she doesn't know his full connection to Trina. I can confirm that there is interest so... let that dance around in your mind.**

 **I'd love to hear from you guy and gals as well. I wanted to actually have a small poll to see who you all would prefer to see interact with Liam in the long run or endgame. So leave a review and let me know who you'd like to see Liam shipped with. Your answers may actually influence a change in the direction of the story. I'm even open to the idea of Cat and Liam hooking up so don't feel restricted by the girls that have interacted with him romantically.**

 ***ToriXLiam (Liri)**

 ***JadeXLiam (Jali)**

 ***TrinaXLiam (Trinam)**

 ***CatXLiam (Cali)**

 **Thank you all who support this fic and I'll definitely be updating soon. Love you guys and goodnight!**


	9. Chapter 7

**Demon's Within**

 **Chapter 7: Scars and Fangs**

As the night shifted to morning, the rising sun found itself swallowed up by the thick gray clouds, only the gulls flew over the city in droves awaiting their first meal of the day. At the Vega household, a groggy Tori descended down the stairs attempting futilely to wipe the sleep from her eyes. She'd been unconscious ever since Liam's expose' and was looking to get some answers from her frenemy. She didn't have to look too hard as she stumbled on Jade West was sprawled out on the air mattress, lightly snoring. Reason won out as the something about 'letting sleeping dogs lie' became appropriate right now.

She made her way to the refrigerator, digging inside for something to drink. She managed to get her hands on some orange juice, pouring herself a glass, and finally took notice of how gloomy it was outside. 'It may rain all day...' she mentally pouted; taking her first sip of the refreshing liquid. Scratching her head, Tori took notice of the clock on top of the microwave that read in bright red numbers: 5:17 am. With a look of pure disinterest, she was bent on getting back to sleep while chugging down her beverage. There was no way she was intending on doing anything at this ungodly hour (in her opinion). She took another big gulp, setting her glass in the sink carefully making sure not to wake up Jade. She then tiptoed past the snoring log only to notice one very important detail.

"Where was Liam?" she whispered.

Instead of going straight to bed, Tori found herself exploring the house. She checked the basement but found the gym equipment relatively untouched. She pressed on to the bathroom but there was no trace of the young man. The only places remaining for him to be would be the bedrooms but it didn't make much sense. Her parents' room was a place that he wouldn't tread. She was sure that she would've noticed if he was in her bedroom; the idea doing just enough to heat up her cheeks at the thought of certain actions taking place. That left only one option left: Trina's room. Without a second thought, Tori made a mad dash up the stairs. Disappointment encompassed her after opening the door only to find that the room was still in the same condition as it had been for the past two years. Her heart began pounding against her ribcage as memories began to resurface. However, instead of turning around and leaving, the younger sister instead found herself being drawn inside. It was like being in a foreign land despite knowing every square inch of the room. The bed still had the comforter that bore an image of Ke$ha on top. The various stuffed animals remained in the exact spot that Trina always had them. Tori even noticed the letter that her sister wrote the night she left resting on her nightstand. With trembling hands, Tori grabbed the paper and once again scanned the contents.

 _ **Dear whoever finds this,**_

 _ **By the time you find this letter, I will have been gone for a while. I'd implore you not to go looking for me, but I'm sure you wouldn't bother anyways. Before I leave, I wanted to get some things off of my chest. My life as you've all known it to be has been nothing more than a lie. I've been miserable for so many years that I didn't realize that this letter almost read like a suicide note. Rest assured, I don't plan on taking that route. I'm going someplace far away to escape this misery that's grown more and more unbearable. While you all only saw me as annoying and a pest, I was really trying to get you all to notice that I was suffering. Fortunately, there was one person who saw me as more than a nuisance and I grew to develop serious feelings for him but I've written my apologies to him separately but the rest of you get this letter as a form of "universal" message. My destination is unknown so searching for me is futile but just know that I'm creating a better life for myself. Maybe I'll return one day, but for now, I need to disappear so that I can escape my cruel reality.**_

 _ **Goodbye,**_

 _ **Trina Vega**_

Tears stung her eyes, each word cutting deeper than the last. She allowed the drops of pain to trail down her face as it was the only form of solace she achieved. To think that she never noticed that her older sister was enduring hell while giving off this persona of vanity. Guilt and shame swam in her stomach as she fought against the tormenting thoughts that started to form in her mind. She dropped the letter and made her way for the door when she accidentally bumped into the Queen sized bed, knocking one of the pillows. With an audible groan, Tori rushed to put it back but stopped short when her eyes caught something that was out of the ordinary. Inside of the pillow case, another letter was now sticking halfway out.

 _ **...but I've written my apologies to him separately...**_

Tori was about to pull the letter out, curiosity getting the best of her. 'Is this her letter to Liam?'

"Vega?" she froze firmly in place. "You do know I can see you, right?"

Turning around swiftly, Tori placed the pillow in its original spot, making sure to hide the letter under another pillow.

"Hey, Jade." she didn't want Jade to know about the other letter right now. "Fancy meeting you here."

A still groggy Jade raised a questionable eyebrow. "Right... What are you doing in here? I thought we promised not to come in here?" Despite her suspicions, Jade took special care to keep a good enough distance away. "Now, are you going to answer my question or do I need to bring Liam in here for an interrogation 'West Style'?"

Liam.. That's right! She was searching for him when she'd gotten sidetracked.

"Um, yeah! I was looking for Liam and got nervous that he might've come in here after I didn't find him anywhere." she did her best to put on a convincing smile.

Much to her chagrin, it seemed Jade wasn't buying her explanation. Her calculating gaze took in every detail of hers, analyzing her for any signs signifying a lie. She found nothing out of the ordinary except the trail of tears that marked her face. She wasn't sure if it was pity or sympathy but, she decided to drop the conversation.

"Right. Well, Liam is out back meditating. He just came back from jogging..." Tori noticed the girl's voice begin to trail off at the mention of their friend and exercising in the same sentence. Seeing her deep in thought brought a worried look on the latina's face that soon contorted into one of pure revulsion as a seductive smirk formed along the lips of Jade West, thankfully it didn't last too long as the young woman shook herself out of her internal musings only to realize that her friend and rival was staring at her blankly now. "A-anyways, I have to head out for a few h-hours. I forgot that Cat and I are supposed to hang out this morning. I'll be back tonight so don't wait up, Vega."

The two parted ways but not before Tori looked back at the pillow, or more importantly the mysterious letter intended for Liam once more before shutting the door. She then made her way to the backyard where true to Jade's words, Liam was sitting with his back to the door meditating in the grass. What caught her off guard though was the fact that he was shirtless and sweaty. The few rays of sunlight peaking through the overcast only made things a bit more difficult as her eyes trailed up and down his toned body. She never realized how defined his body was despite the bandages that covered the upper left portion of his body.

Those scars. The only thing that truly defined ugly on Liam would be the various lacerations and bruises that he received the day prior. She bit her bottom lip, nerves, and desire swirled together within her. It was one of her closely guarded secrets, one that only Jade suspected. She was crushing hard on him; something that only seemed to grow as each day passed.

"Um... Liam?" she eked out, cursing herself for not controlling her feelings. "Are you busy?"

To her surprise, he didn't move from his spot in the grass. Could he really be deep in meditation? Was he ignoring her?

"Liam?" she approached him cautiously. "Are you okay?"

At a closer proximity, she watched as his chest rose and fell steadily and he truly appeared to be in peace. "Zzzzzzz..." Her eyes widened in amusement. He was, in fact, asleep. As her lips curled into a soft grin, she gently placed her fingers on his uninjured shoulder and gingerly shook him. Her blush only increased in intensity at the realization that this was her first time touching his bare skin. Her heart rattled in her chest. Her fingers trembled. Her brown eyes studied him like he was her favorite book. She watched as his eyes fluttered open, those emerald orbs flashing from behind his hair that seemed to drape his face perfectly. He let out a nearly inaudible moan that she thought was the cutest thing.

'Wait a minute!' Her inner thoughts interrupted her viewing festival. If it had an image, it would've been the stereotypical angel on her shoulder. 'Have you forgotten? He's Trina's ex! You can't just move in on him like that.'

 **'Oh would you give it a rest?!'** another familiar voice spoke up. This must be the proverbial demon side coming out to give 'her' two cents. **'It's been over two years now, and you're still on this "He's still Trina's love" bullshit?'** The voice then turned their attention to Tori. **'It's obvious that you got it bad for him. Ray Charles could see that, but you need to make up your mind on what you want. It's evident that you're not the only one into him. He's been single for all this time but I guarantee you that this window of opportunity won't last too much longer.'**

'Are you kidding me? So you're just saying that we should just ignore the fact that this is practically betraying her sister..? Real classy.'

This would be the part where the two sides would fight but that would have to be put on hold for the time being as something more important would catch Tori's attention. "Yo, Tori!" her eyes fluttered for a few seconds. "You okay? Hello?" Realization finally hit her as she could clearly see Liam staring blankly at her. "Earth to Tori..." he yawned.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" she managed to verbalize.

He sighed in disbelief though the smallest of smirks was enough for her to understand that there was no negativity involved with the action. "You can be a dork sometimes, ya know?" he stretched and let out a rougher moan that sounded much more sexual than he intended for it to be.

"Shut up!" she playfully pushed him. "I'm not the one who fell asleep in the backyard, weirdo." she stuck her tongue out.

Thinking it over, Liam shook his head in defeat. "Touche' Ms. Vega." he chuckled softly. "So what's up? Were you looking for me or something?"

"Oh, yeah... I didn't see you in the house earlier and I got curious about where you were." her eyes darted away. "You know, just making sure you were alright."

Tapping his chin, Liam let his mind process her words for a few moments. "Right. After what happened yesterday, I can't say I blame you." at that moment, his face shifted into a frown. "Wait. Where is Jade?" he instantly turned his sights behind him, half expecting the scissor loving, argument starting, mini psycho he'd grown to care about to show up.

"She had to meet Cat, later on, today but she said she'll come back tonight." she watched as he let out a breath that even he didn't notice he'd been holding in.

"I guess that means it's just us two until then?" sat upright, crossing his legs in the process.

Tori Vega felt a jolt rush through her body at the question. "I-I guess it does. I don't have any plans aside from the gang coming over around 8 pm tonight. But, I did um..."

"You want to know what happened to me, don't you?" her silence was all the answer he needed. "Go ahead, admit it, Tori."

"Well, yes. Especially that extra long scar that trails down your back..."

Liam's face darkened, much to Tori's surprise, and stood to his feet. "Honestly, I've had that scar since forever. I rather not talk about either subject but..." he took a deep breath. "I'll let you choose. Which question do you want to be answered? The scar on my back, or what happened to me yesterday?"

Without hesitation, Tori stood up as well and slowly approached him. The options were both enticing to her but deep down, she needed one far more than the other right now. "Who did this to you?" she looked him directly in his eyes before wrapping her arms around him. "I really want to know what happened yesterday. I need to know what monster would attack you like this..."

The feeling of his strong arms wrapping around her slender frame helped a little to soothe her worry. "Tori..." suddenly the sound of rumbling echoed in the early morning sky causing the two to look up. "Let's get inside first. Then I'll tell you everything, okay?"

She nodded torment clearly written on her face. Liam chalked her heavy need to know to his failure at starting a relationship with her sister; he didn't even want to mention her name. There was only anger and frustration that came with bringing her in any regard. Pain both spiritually and emotionally always went hand in hand if she was brought up in conversation so he did his best to push those feelings down over the past couple of years and just managed to get his feelings in check. As they headed inside the sound of pouring rain followed closely behind them.

"It actually happened after you started hunting Jade down..."

* * *

The day came and went, making room for the dusk. Throughout that time, Jade had returned with the bouncy Cat and Andre. Robbie and Ahrya stopped by about an hour or so later, most of their time was spent with one another rather than the gang. It was after 8:40 and Liam seemed to be the only one not in a festive mood once a certain pretty boy arrived. After explaining things to Tori, it was revealed that while he didn't see the culprit, he heard the voice that sounded similar to Becks. While he wasn't going to make any direct accusations, Liam wasn't thrilled to find out that he was coming over. He already took an issue to the guy after certain events occurred between them including an altercation involving Beck having various "accidents" like spilling food, tripping him onstage during scenes just to name a few.

At the moment, he was out back gazing at the cloudy sky. It was clear that there was no love lost between them as Beck made no indication of anything to the contrary. The group chose not to make anything of it in hopes that things would remain peaceful. Everyone now was either playing cards or watching Once Upon a Time on tv. Ahrya and Robbie were nearly asleep on the couch. Andre, Cat, Tori, Jade, and Beck were in the middle of playing candy poker with the red haired girl still not grasping the rules after all of this time. Finally, Jade set her hand face down on the table.

"I fold..." she grumbled. "I'm gonna check on mopey."

This perked everyone's ears up. "Uh, Jade? I really don't think that's a rational idea." Andre warned. "Maybe he just needs to be alone.

"Uh, Jade? I really don't think that's a rational idea." Andre warned.

Jade stopped, turning to her musician friend with a nonchalant expression. "Harris, when have I ever done anything rational?"

"She makes a very good point, Andre." Beck let out a hearty laugh, completely missing the death glare Jade flashed at him. He was oblivious to the hardened grip she had on one of her favorite pairs of scissors, a visual the others were quick to notice.

Fortunately, her hold on the makeshift weapon lightened up once the back door opened, revealing a groggy Liam.

"Well, look who finally joins the party." Beck taunted. "You still brooding over that accident this week?" he snickered much to everyone's confusion.

Turning around, everyone was taken aback to find him with a dark smirk. "That's a good one. Coming from a sneaky little weasel like you I'm surprised anyone would want you for a boyfriend."

If you looked close enough, you would notice that Beck's right eye had begun twitching. It was crystal clear that Liam was looking to wound the pretty boy's ego.

"At least I can say I had a relationship. Last time I checked, I rather have loved and lost than to be someone's fuck & dash." He stood to his chair yelling at the

Jade, who was the closest to Liam, stood in front of him. She watched as the humanity seemed to fade from his eyes. The typically bright green color had changed into a dull shade. "Beck shut the hell up-"

"Whatever..." his voice, now devoid of emotion, left no room for debate. Ahrya and Robbie woke up from their slumber just in time to hear the door slamming.

Cat whimpered as Andre shooked his head in disapproval but she refused.

"You just have to be an ass, don't you Oliver?" Everyone looked up to see the look of pure anger on Jade's face. Before anyone could say a word, Jade was already out of the door leaving behind a confused couple, and the stunned group of Tori, Cat, & Andre. The only one, unlike the others, was Beck himself. His gray eyes darkened as his blood boiled. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot. Without another word, he stood up from his seat and made his way to the front door.

He was dead set on getting Jade back. For real this time...

Jade didn't know what she was getting into once she stepped outside of the Vega's house as she noticed Liam's car had just pulled out of the driveway. That was when the two spotted one another and, between the two of them, Jade had to admit to herself that she was actually relieved to see he hadn't left yet. Both knew what this meant though: Wherever he was planning on going, she was most certainly going with him. 'Twas the nature of their friendship.

With his emotions battling with one another, he still found himself unable to just pull off as the gothic girl made her way to his car. At that very moment, Beck had opened the door only to find the pair speeding off. Gritting his teeth, he made his way to his truck, intent on finding them. Nobody was allowed to have HIS 'girlfriend'.

Nobody...

* * *

Various lights and sounds passed the duo as they traveled in silence. Liam's eyes were fixated on the road ahead while Jade continued to cut her gaze between the streets and her agitated friend. This wasn't the first time she had witnessed him in shutdown mode but it never got any easier either. It was something that only her and Tori had seen on a consistent basis when they would meet up at random weekends. Aside from his sister, Ahrya, they were the closest to him and right now Jade seemed to have a clear advantage in the empathy department.

Somehow, despite him exceeding the speed limit from time to time, they managed to arrive at a secluded peak on the outskirts of town. There was one streetlight along the road behind them, but no other source of light was available except the moon itself. Watching in awe, Jade took in the breathtaking view of the city below while her still silent friend stepped out of the car. Pulling herself from her inner musing, Jade followed suit but was careful not to trigger him. She may be a gank sometimes, but even she had enough sense not to poke the beast.

"So..." he caught her off guard, his tone much lower and methodical than before. "...What is it that you want to say, Jade?"

She blinked a few times, no doubt trying to process this unknown voice, but approached him slowly.

"To be honest, I don't know why I just rushed to your car. I guess I did it on instinct." she looked at the ground. "I don't know what you would do if you were left alone to your own devices. I really don't want to find out either, if I can help it." her voice trailed off with that last sentence.

He gave her a grin for her honesty, one that was emotionless and blank. It was clear that they were trying to read one another and yet neither had ever succeeded up to this point. He was used to being an enigma, a book that she was interested in but couldn't unlock the secrets hidden between the lines. In her defense, Jade was like an open book, though a book where the pages were completely out of order and scattered throughout one another. It kept things interesting and fun for the two as they developed a stronger bond over the years.

To Jade, those were enough for her to let herself settle for a grin as well.

"Do you remember when we first met?" she slowly rubbed up and down her left arm.

Now it was Liam's turn to wonder. He shook his head and scoffed. "How could I forget? We nearly killed each other..." he laughed.

Joining in, it seemed that a small amount of tension was beginning to fade away. A delicate situation like this required some consistent chiseling rather than a full on assault. Fortunately, she felt it was safe to come a bit closer and was elated to see him pat a spot on the hood of the Ford Mustang which she graciously accepted. "I have to be honest, I was shocked that you didn't back down that day. Normally, the other students cower and run away. Not you though..." she gazed at him once more, studying his every move. "You not only stood up to me but, you even went on the offensive."

"In my defense, I was raised to always have protection." his sly smirk didn't go unnoticed by the raven haired beauty. Letting out a soft giggle, Jade saw what appeared to be Liam transitioning back into his old self prior to the mishap with Beck. Unfortunately, things couldn't be that easy. It pained her to have to bring up negativity and yet her need for the truth outweighed precaution. "Liam... what's going on with you?" she whispered.

On cue, his smile dropped; knowing where Jade was going with this. It couldn't be avoided, no matter how much he wanted to just drop the conversation here and then. "Jade it's not that simple-"

"Don't give me that!" nothing but raw emotion came out. "You're hiding something! You've been like this ever since that night! You were like a zombie for months after what happened and then, one day out of the blue, you come back acting like nothing ever happened." She didn't want to but, he left her no choice now. It was clear that this was eating away at her as well. She just wanted to get through to him what his behavior was doing to others. "You might have everyone else fooled but not me! I can see it in your eyes..."

It seemed that she managed to cause a crack in his defenses when he shut his eyes tightly. Almost instantly, he began seeing images, the past where he was actually happy. He grits his teeth, not wanting to deal with those memories. His eyes opened once more to find Jade West now standing in front of him. Their eyes held differing mindsets and resolve. Behind the icy glare, was a fire that threatened to burn anything that dared resist it while Emerald orbs housed a barren wasteland. "I told you and Tori, I was over Trina..." it seemed that he wasn't going to lose without a fight. "What more do you need to believe that?"

Jade couldn't believe it. Here he was blatantly lying to her. No... He was lying to himself.

At that moment, with all of her might, Jade swung her right hand at him. Normally, when this happened, Liam would easily duck away or catch her hand but this time was different. She felt the sting of her palm striking his cheek. The sensation forced her to watch as he clutched his face hissing at the pain that flooded the spot of impact.

"What the hell, Jade?" he yelled at the irate girl. He then noticed that she was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling dramatically. Both of her fists were balled up so fiercely that they were pure white. Whatever else she had planned, he knew that she was hell bent on snapping him out of whatever world he was in. "Did you have to hit me so hard, ya gank?"

"Keep lying and I'll show you just how much of a gank I can be!"

"What do you want from me?" he rubbed her sore cheek.

Huffing, Jade pointed a finger at his face, inches from his eye. "I want the truth, Liam. No more lies. No more cover ups. Your actions have consequences and it's affecting everyone around you. You haven't been on one single date since she left. You didn't even go any of the school events unless you were forced to perform then you'd leave right after."

"How would you know? Why do you care anyways?!" he roared. "I don't recall ever asking you to keep tabs on me!"

Those words hurt her. Wounded would be the more appropriate word but she knew that this was a small price to pay if she was to accomplish her goal.

"Because we care about you," she growled at him with conviction lacing every word. "I care about you."

He crossed his arms and analyzed the situation. This was not how he wanted to spend his evening, but it seemed it couldn't be helped. The last thing he wants to contend with is a rage filled Jade West. With a heavy sigh, he flashed one more dark glare. Jade didn't take it personally though, she knew what the look meant. It was the last act of defiance from this false persona he'd been living as.

"You're right." defeat in his tone. "I never got over her, okay? I loved her and then she just left me behind..." His body began to tremble but he continued. "The night she left, we had just become a couple. I was so happy and yet..." he bit his lip almost to stop himself from revealing the truth but one look of concern from Jade was enough to keep him going. "We lost our virginity the night of Sikowitz's sleepover. I had brought Cat to the complex and then ran into her while coming from a small store. She came back with me and... um... we both shared our first time with one another." Jade could his throat hitch. His eyes poured out tears like a faucet. Every ounce of emotion that he bottled up was making an escape.

"Liam..." she reached out and touched his shoulder.

"No!" she retreated her arm. "She abandoned me and for what? I told her I would protect her. I told her I would love her and what did she do?! She left me, without even a 'goodbye'. How am I supposed to feel after that, Jade?!" Bowing his head, he glared at the dirt beneath him. His lip quivered as his body felt heavier than usual. He felt worthless. Ashamed and humiliated, Liam wasn't trying to alienate everyone for the sake of doing so. Jade could see that he was merely protecting himself from being hurt again. "Beck was right. I'm not worth it... I was just an easy lay, Jade. I just wanted to save her."

She once again placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him into a tight hug. His senses were delayed at this point, his eyes wide and fixed on nothing in particular. His heart bounced around like a pinball as he felt the warm embrace of another's body against his. "Sometimes, you have to learn that everyone doesn't want to be saved." her voice was like satin. "You did the best you could but you must understand that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink." Her fingers traced circles along his back while he remained silent. "You can't keep living like this. You're pushing away friends or you'll end up just like her."

"But..." he was silenced by Jade pulling away and placing a finger to his lips.

"No, Liam. You are worth far more than you think." her eyes then seemed to shift into a more demonic state. "As for Beck? I need to know why you two can't stand each other."

He weakly rubbed the back of his neck. Tonight was just not his night in terms of getting Jade off his back.

"Before all of this occurred, Beck and I had an altercation after you and I met. At first, I assumed it was because you two were a couple and he was just protecting you so I let it slide. However, I met Trina later on that day... Given the nature of how we met... I won't reveal that." he managed to cut her off before she opened her mouth. "I began checking on her every other day and soon began hearing rumors that a guy with 'really nice hair' was the one to go to about something and later it turned out that the closer she and I got, the more Beck seemed to hate me. After she disappeared, he seemed to be on edge more and more around me."

Jade's eyebrows sunk firmly, calculating the young man's words. "Do you think Beck might have had something to do with Trina leaving?"

"I really don't know. I only know that he hates my guts and I hate his right back."

Jade shook her head. "No. Don't hate him, Liam. He's not worth it and you know it."

Eyeing the girl, Liam squinted. "That's how you talk about your own boyfriend like that?"

Her response was simple, if not predictable as she rolled her eyes. "He's not my boyfriend... not anymore." she wrapped her arms around herself. "We broke up over a year ago but kept up airs so that our status as the 'power couple' wouldn't be contested. It was more his idea than mine and I've hated every moment of it."

"Why would you go along with it then?" he asked, wiping a few remaining tears away.

There seemed to be a lot of sighing lately and Jade added another one to the pile. "Because we were still sleeping around at first. He eventually grew more and more controlling in private like..." she averted her vision to anything other than his sympathetic look. She hated that look from anyone. It only proved to her how weak she really was despite her tough girl attitude.

"Like what, Jade?"

"Never mind... forget it." she then made her way to the passenger's side only to feel a strong hand firmly around her wrist. "Let me go, Liam."

"No." his own emotional hindrances gone for the time being.

Through bared teeth, she turned back to him, a glare of warning flashing at him. "Take me home, now!"

"Not until you tell me what you about to say." Futile as it seemed, she attempted to pull away but his grip never eased up. "I told you everything that's going on with me. Why can't you?"

"Because..."

"Because why?"

"I don't want you to hurt him!" she cried out.

Confusion was the primary expression on Liam's face. "Jade... why are you protecting him."

"If I tell you, then you'll just get angry again and attack Beck and I don't want you to wind up being sent to jail." she leaned in and gripped his jacket as if he would be carried away by the wind otherwise. "I told you, idiot, I care about you. Tori would never forgive me if I was the reason you were sent away so I can't tell you."

Now it was his turn to comfort her. Her breathing became more rapid and shallow while his thumb stroked her back. He didn't like that something had happened to her that involved Beck but he couldn't bring himself to hurt Jade either, nor Tori for that matter. He had to put his personal vendetta with the guy on ice if they were to solidify this progress made.

"Jade." his voice was so tender and loving. He lifted her chin up softly, allowing her to meet his gaze. "I promise to be the bigger man. I won't push for any more information about Beck, on one condition." She raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "Tell me what you mean when you said Tori wouldn't forgive you if something happened to me?"

'Oh crap!' she mentally berated her inability to control her mouth when she was having a meltdown. "You really want to know?"

He nodded only to be pinned against the hood. "What in the MMMmmmph!" his words found no exit once Jade slammed her lips against his. This was something she'd wanted to do for so long and there couldn't have been a better time to reveal everything. Butterflies danced from his core as he returned the kiss with equal intensity. Both were free from their respective bonds, at least internally. They were free to explore a side of themselves that seemed to have remained dormant. Her hands found a home on his chest and bruised cheek. His hands settled along the nape of her neck and small of her back allowing them to deepen the kiss. This was something both had been lacking for what seemed like an eternity. As their bodies pressed against one another's, Jade let a moan slip out that didn't go unnoticed by Liam. He groaned sensually when he felt her teeth clamp down on his bottom lip. Limbs were becoming entangled but one thing brought a feeling of accomplishment to Jade. Her lower body rubbed against his crotch, giving her some access to his growing endowment. Tongues wrestled for dominance and soon, the two had intertwined their fingers. Nothing would stop them...

Nothing, except for the lack of oxygen.

Reluctantly, they forced themselves to pull apart from each other, both showing their displeasure. Jade continued to lie on top of him, her pants of desire only served to fan the flames of lust growing between them as her hair cascaded all around him shielding his features from the eyes of the world. Both struggled to comprehend what had transpired but one thing was clear: They both loved every second of it.

"You're not a bad kisser." she managed to get out through haggard breaths.

He simply let his signature grin settle on his lips. "I could say the same about you."

She smiled, not grin, not smirked, but legitimately smiled at his words. "I'll take that for now."

"So, where do we go from here?"

Jade's smile swiftly fell at the weight of Liam's words. "Right. I 'explained' my half of the question..."

"But?"

With a soft growl, Jade pulled herself off of the curious young man. "We have to go talk to Tori. Only she can answer the other half of your question."

As he attempted to speak, Jade carefully got off of the hood and was entering the car. Liam did the same, being extra careful not to leave a dent. He hopped in the car and started the engine up. Just before pulling off, he glanced over to see a highly annoyed Jade with her arms crossed. She wasn't angry but in fact conflicted about what was going on. "Jade..." she didn't budge. "Jade, look at me, please?"

She complied but not without a clear attitude. "Yeah?" irritation was evident but there was also disappointment mixed in her tone.

His reaction was him leaning towards her, his hand placed on top of hers gently as his lips pressed gently against her forehead. "Thank you." her mouth open and closed like a fish which prompted a soft chuckle from him. "No matter what comes next, it doesn't change what's happened here tonight. Everything done was 100% genuine."

She nodded, tears welling up but she found herself pushing them back.

They pulled away from the peak and made their way back to the Vega homestead. The trip wouldn't take too long but Jade didn't mind if it did, her mind full of something she'd been seemingly deprived of since the latter part of her relationship with Beck. Inside, she felt warm and free as the two followed the path back to main streets of L.A.

Unknown to them, a pickup truck was parked a few feet in the distance, hidden well thanks to the darkness and the abundance of trees surrounding it. Leaning against it was none other than Beck who'd just arrived not too long ago. While he missed the conversation between the two, he had managed to see their intense liplock right before they left. He could've confronted them but something had flipped a switch inside of him. As he gazed into the night sky, an abundance of stars twinkling before him, he smiled bitterly. It was clear that no matter what he did, Jade wouldn't want him back. He had only two choices: He could learn to make amends with Liam and Jade. That seemed to be the best thing to do at this point. The other option was to continue on the path he was currently on. He was a ladies man and had all the attention he could want but still wasn't satisfied with that.

One lone tear fell to the earth below. "It's all your fault, whore," he whispered. "Why did you have to leave, Trina?"

He knew no one would answer but it was the only solitude he had right now.

"You just had to ruin everything for me, didn't you?" his lips curled into a deranged smile as the glow of the full moon mocked him; tiny pearls glistened before hitting the ground. "I guess it's meant to be this way."

* * *

 **Wow, so it seems that while Tori had the first crack at some alone time with Liam, it turned out to be Jade who actually capitalized on her opportunity. A lot has happened between the trio and that will be touched on more as the story progresses. I also would like to give a big shoutout to Linkonpark100 for his input on this fiction. I started focusing on building one on one interactions thanks to his advice along with pacing. (still working on that too) Thanks so much.**

 **Up next, Tori gets to give her side of things while Jade deals with conflicting ways of dealing with things. Where does Beck go from here? Liam will have to focus on moving forward not just in school but in romance. (seriously, he's actually avoided dating during the time skip due to his overwhelming emotions towards Trina.) Speaking of Trina, where is she? Her whereabouts will be revealed either in the next chapter or in the one after that. More than likely, Trina will reappear in the chapter after next considering the next chapter will be a direct continuation.**

 **Anyway, I really hope you all enjoy this chapter and provide feedback. I also am still open to you guy's thoughts on who you think would make the best pairing with Liam. (Cat is still included) I'm also holding an oc slot for this fic (just one) if you're interested, feel free to inbox me for the details and I'll send them asap. Love you guys and enjoy your 4th of July!**


	10. Chapter 7a

**Demon's Within**

 **Chapter 7.5: Aftermath**

Tori had spent the better part of the night pacing back and forth after Beck departed. Her nerves were all over the place as thoughts of what would happen between him and Liam should they encounter each other flashed before her eyes repeatedly. Andre and Cat had left once the latter was experiencing nervous fits from the minor altercation. Tori was a barrel of emotions which Robbie and Ahrya did their best to comfort her to no avail. While it was clear that she was simply worried about the well being of her friends, there was something else that was eating away at her.

"Tori, relax..." Robbie placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm sure they're alright."

"How do you know that? It's clear that Beck and Liam don't get along." At that moment, Ahrya stood to her feet, prepared to chime in when a knock caught her attention. Everyone remained silent as Tori went to the door. "Who is it?"

"Open the door, Vega."

That familiar voice was all she needed to hear as she unlocked and pulled the front door open wide, revealing a perturbed Jade, and a remorseful Liam. Seeing Tori with a stern look firmly on her face brought nothing but rising feeling of guilt. With an audible gulp, he plastered a goofy grin. He hoped it would give a more favorable result. (Spoiler Alert: It didn't...)

"H-hey, Tori." his smile dropped as she glared at him.

Liam knew what was coming, a good smack to the face was expected but, to the surprise of everyone around, she hugged him like a little girl would her favorite teddy bear. Ahrya and Robbie watched the act with elation. Jade, however, wasn't amused but remained understanding given the circumstances. After her personal heart-to-heart, she couldn't blame her rival for her current actions. Liam returned the gesture, wrapping her in his strong arms.

A tingle of jealousy swam in her stomach at the sight. Sure, she wasn't dating the guy (yet) but she still felt a bit of possessiveness over him. She felt her emotions begin to subside when she saw Tori pull away to allow Ahrya a chance to hug her brother. She could hear them saying some things but couldn't make out what was said between them before they too broke their embrace.

"Look, I'm sorry for leaving like that." he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

Ahrya smiled warmly just as Robbie stepped up behind her. "We're just glad you two are alright."

"Thanks, dingus..." Jade mocked, though playfully. "Unfortunately, our business isn't done yet."

"What do you mean?"

Ahrya's sweet voice caused her brother to lower his head. "It means, I need to talk with Tori and I need to have a private conversation."

The air in the room seemed to thicken with the plethora of feelings that emanated from everyone. On Ahrya's face, a look of confusion while Jade gently chewed the inside of her jaw. Robbie was the only one who could read the situation. Noticing a potential protest coming, he took his girlfriend's hand and smiled at the others.

"We'll leave you to it then." he turned his gaze towards his girlfriend who threw him a questionable glance. It was clear that they would have their own conversation later on but for now, she was being escorted out of the door. "You all have a good night. I hope things work out for you all."

Jade, Tori, and Liam stared blankly as Ahrya tried to say something about 'getting the whole story' but it was all for naught as the couple found themselves driving away. Tori just stood there blinking, unable to really comprehend everything happening. Jade and Liam mirrored her actions while exchanging glances at each other.

"That was something..." he broke the silence.

Tori nodded without a word.

"Who'd thought that Shapiro had any backbone. I'm a little impressed..." Her gaze then turned to a still dumbfounded Tori. "However, we can't forget why they left." They all headed back inside at the point made by Jade. Inside, Jade leaned against the door impatiently waiting for the inevitable conversation. Across from them sat a nervous Tori Vega, fear in her eyes radiating with an innocence many considered to be unprecedented.

"So what did you want to talk about, exactly?"

Liam took a seat on the couch next to her, a motion that definitely made Jade shift uncomfortably. "I'm going out back. You two deserve some privacy..." she then made her way to the backyard. "Get me when you're done or whatever." She left no room for either Liam or Tori to respond. As the patio door shut, the awkward air weighed down on them even more. Liam knew that the longer the time went by, things would only grow more difficult.

"Jade and I had a talk earlier." he broke the wall of silence while Tori began twiddling her thumbs. "We talked about some things and well... I asked her a question to which she only gave me half of an answer."

"Half?" she tilted her head at him. Her honey brown eyes scanned his features as he explained the earlier conversation leaving out the part where they shared physical moments. "What was the question and why would she only give you half of an answer?"

Licking his lips nervously, Liam took a moment to reflect on that question. He knew his next words would change things between them all but if he wanted to know the truth, he determined it best to take that risk. 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained.' he teased in his head. He turned to face her, eyes truly focused on her beauty. She was absolutely gorgeous to him. His palms shook ever so slightly though he held on the grin he tried so desperately to cling on to. "Because you have the other half of that question."

She lifted a brow, her nerves taking a back seat to her now piqued interest. "So, ask your question."

"Jade said that if she let anything happen to me, you wouldn't forgive her." Seeing her face light up a deep shade of red, he knew he was on the right track. "What exactly did you mean by that?"

Her hazel brown eyes took in his handsome features. His chin stubble had grown a bit thicker over the past two years giving him a more mature look. His eyes, those emerald pools always captivated her since the day she met him. His sense of justice and morality far exceeded the average person and she admired that. The question wasn't difficult to answer but she wasn't sure if she could reveal that. But wait...

Jade did...

Liam waited patiently as he watched her struggle internally. It wasn't easy for Jade on the peak so he wouldn't press Tori for an immediate answer. Then the soft touch of her fingers grazing the back of his hand sent a pleasant chill up his entire arm. As she opened her mouth, his focus was all hers.

"I'm afraid to say it, okay?" her voice sounded brittle. "You'll hate me..."

"Tori, why would I hate you?" he closed his palm around her fingertips, giving them a gentle squeeze. She looked up, a few drops of shame pooling in the corner of her now wandering eyes. While she appreciated his attempts to make this moment easier for her, it was only succeeding in making things far harder. She was at a loss for words as he began to speak again. "Tori, don't think about it. Just, please, let it flow."

Her mind was racing, matching the speed of her heart. Memories of his first performance replayed in her head. Then others passed through her thoughts: various performances he did for extra credit, acts of kindness towards others, their various meet-ups and rehearsals, all came to mind but there was one that solidified her resolve. The day she first met him formally i.e. the day he saved her from Daniel, her ex-boyfriend. It was the day they nearly shared a kiss before being interrupted. She took her free hand, placing it gently on his cheek. She waited for him to say something, perhaps a word of protest, but none came.

Lidded eyes slowly closed as Tori continued to close the distance between them. That final memory, an oblivious Jade walking in on their intimate moment, forced her to expedite her movements. Soft lips grazed him as she allowed her hand to cup the back of his head. For Liam, this was a completely new sensation building inside of him. While Jade was an excellent kisser, there was something about this moment that held a distinct contrast. While her kiss was more passionate and forceful, Tori's kiss was, in fact, gentle and sweet. This was much more than a simple answer; a confession of long-repressed feelings that, up to this point had remained dormant.

As they continued their kiss, Liam could feel her lips focusing on one particular spot unlike Jade, who's revealing was more wild and chaotic.

Soon, the need for air became too much and they parted, neither wanting to speak at the moment, instead choosing to savor it.

"I'm sorry..." she lowered her eyes. "...I shouldn't have done that."

"Why not?"

He could clearly see that she was conflicted, her lip quivering as she took in his serene tone. She thought to speak but in a surprising move, she lifted a single finger and walked to the stairs leaving him to ponder what she was planning. He didn't have to wait for long as she reappeared with a sullen expression. She pulled an envelope from behind her and set it in his lap.

"Read this..." her words were no higher than a whisper.

Throwing a glance that insinuated caution, he pulled the note out of its envelope. Written on the folded piece of paper, his name and the name of one Trina Vega were written in black ink. Shiny emeralds widened in shock, his former feeling of tranquility now twisting into something else entirely. A part of him wanted to throw the whole thing away and burn the damn thing but, like his encounter with Jade, he knew he needed to confront this new obstacle that threatened his growth. He looked back at Tori who now glared softly at the carpeted floor before opening the sheets of paper.

 _ **Dear Liam,**_

 _ **I really didn't know what to say at first so I chose to start with an apology. I can't express how sorry I truly am for leaving you how I did. You absolutely deserved better than that but, I just couldn't bring myself to stay in this city any longer. It seemed that every time we began to take a step forward, my past would resurface and knock me five steps backward. I couldn't drag you further than you already were. You were always being my knight in shining armor and I know this time would be no different.**_

 _ **I can only imagine the anger you must be feeling right now... or maybe not, you were pretty good at holding back your personal feelings in favor of others after all. It was one of the things about you that I admired the most. I couldn't have asked for a better guy to have had in my life. Ever since we first met, you were always kind and understanding even when I was annoying and a pain in the ass. Please understand that my reason for leaving had nothing to do with how I feel about you. That night was truly the most love I'd ever experienced from anyone in my entire life and it was the catalyst for my decision.**_

 ** _There were some things I've wanted to tell you but I never gathered the courage to do that. I cowered and let the pain and suffering slowly drive me into madness. I desperately wish things had been different between us; maybe we could've actually been a couple long-term..._**

 _ **Liam, you are so important to me and that made me question my choices up to that point. You were the one who helped me and in the end, I was still too weak to make a difference. I have to tell you that all of my social media pages are deactivated, my number will be changed and accounts drained so that nobody from that horrible past will ever find me and bring me back into that hell called life. Please don't blame yourself for MY choices and don't cling on to me. Grow up and enjoy life. If we're meant to be together again, you will see me again someday. If not, then I'm content knowing that you were my first real love, my first real friend, and my very first time. You will always have a special place in my heart until my dying breath.**_

 ** _I love you and I'm so sorry,_**

 ** _Trina_**

He studied Trina's message for what seemed like ages prompting Tori to notice the dark mystery of his soul's gateways. His face, unreadable at this point; never a good sign when dealing with a scenario like this. She remained silent, unable to stomach the idea of running away from this after the fact she'd committed the deed. She kissed him. However, Tori would find herself caught completely off guard as the reality of that moment caused her to smile for the first time since Liam left the house earlier in the evening.

"Tori?" she blinked several times at him. "Thank you..." A genuine smile of gratitude settled on his face but there was something else. Her visual exploration deciphered his emotional freedom had arrived or at least some form of it. Like with Jade, he was opening himself to the possibilities of life and, maybe even love again... However, terror soon reared its ugly head, carrying along with it the painful potential options. What did Trina write him? Did she leave him clues to her whereabouts? Did her message reignite their initial spark? Was he happy because... there was still hope for them? All of these questions created a nauseating feeling to form in her gut. But after what they did, she was dead set on seeing this to the end.

"What's got you so happy?" she unintentionally started playing with her hair.

With a smile directed at her, he stood to his feet and made his way towards the back door. "Jade you can come back inside." Both waited patiently for the door to slide open as she obliged. "I want you both to hear this."

Tori Vega.

Jade West.

Two conflicting forces that were like day and night.

Order and Chaos.

Fire and Ice.

While both could be viewed as the other's worst nightmare, they were also there greatest strength. Liam knew this truth but still chose to take this route. They watched him take the page and lay it on the concrete outside before brandishing a zippo lighter. His gaze was laser-focused as he set the corner on fire, much to Tori's surprise. The page swiftly burned under the flames, licking at its meal. While Jade was in the dark, she did find this amusing to say the least. It didn't take long for the embers to fully devour the sheet before disappearing. leaving only a few charred remains.

"Not that this wasn't entertaining but what was that about?" Jade finally piped up.

Instead of Liam however, Tori would be the one to respond. "That was Trina's letter to him before leaving." Jade's bit her lip hard in utter disdain, nearly drawing blood.

"She's right. In that letter, Trina basically poured out her feelings but..." he peered at the night sky. "It was the final confirmation I needed tonight. For so long, I've felt chained to her and wanted nothing more than to be with her. I wanted to be with her but every day just plunged me deeper into the abyss within my heart. I shut out so many people and opportunities clinging on to this insane notion that she would come back and things could go back to the way they were. That letter essentially locked the door that you two helped me to close. I appreciate you two for putting up with me after all this time."

Jade crossed arms and smirked while Tori rubbed her arms but smiled as well.

"I guess the biggest question is what happens now?"

"Well, for now, we get some sleep." he quickly answered. "All of this sharing and caring has completely drained me."

That wasn't acceptable for the two. They both just poured out their feelings for Liam and all he could think of was sleep? They watched flabbergasted as the young man let out a boisterous yawn as he made his way into the house. Thoughts circulated among them both for what felt like hours, though it was only been a little more than five minutes. As they followed his trail, they each found that the short amount of time was more than needed while observing an unconscious (and lightly snoring) Liam on the couch wearing nothing but a black shirt and blue basketball shorts. His hair wasn't even tied up, further proving his drowsiness.

Tori found his current position to be amusing. Jade, though, clearly was annoyed considering she and her friend/rival were now left with more questions than answers. To be fair, she did mirror what was a ghost of a smile at how cute he looked in her eyes. Soon, the familiar sensation of fluttering in her stomach arrived on cue, forcing Jade to snap out of her daydreaming and focus on the issue at hand.

"We need to talk, Vega..." she whispered, careful not to wake the handsome young man. She motioned to the stairs and the two made their way to the latter's bedroom.

Once inside, Jade shut the door behind them. "Jade, what's the problem?"

Crossing her arms, she appeared to be in deep contemplation before turning to face the Latina sitting at the foot of the bed. "Unless I'm mistaken, which I hardly am..." Tori deliberately rolled her eyes. "...we both are into Liam." She looked for any signs to prove her statement false. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, she was right. Tori simply stared at the carpet, refusing to meet the icy blue stare. "What now?"

Tori, while unsure where the raven-haired girl was going with this, clenched her fists for a moment. "Jade, I don't think it's a good idea to interfere..."

"Give me a break." she scoffed. "You're about as believable as my dad when he tells me he 'loves' me."

Tori shot her a look of disbelief. "Jade, you don't understand!"

"Understand what, exactly? It's obvious how you get whenever he's around and don't you think I didn't notice that little smirk you had earlier this morning after mentioning that I had to leave. You like him just as much as I do and for the life of me, I can't wrap my head around why you won't at least try." For a night where emotional tension had been running high, it looked to be that Jade had caught her second wind after her passionate discussion earlier. "Normally, I'd be more than happy for you to just give up and let me have a victory for once but, this?" She raised her hands, a move designed to show off Tori's being. "I really don't know what it is I'm looking at, but I'd be an idiot to pretend that this is you."

Jade turned to exit the room when she felt a hand wrap around her wrist.

"Okay. I'll tell you..." she watched the slender brunette sigh in defeat. "But you have to promise not to tell Liam."

Oh, how desperately Jade wanted to roll her eyes. She would've done so too if she hadn't seen the remnants of despair behind her normally bright eyes.

"Alright. I won't tell him..."

Though she hated to admit it, seeing Tori smile again made her feel a little better.

* * *

 **Hello, everyone! I wanted to give a quick apology for the mishap in the last chapter. I was confused at how the previous chapter had over 13,000 words only to find out that, in fact, I doubled over the sections. As a gift to you all, I'm posting this subchapter to pick up on what occurred between Liam and Jade. While this chapter only touched on Tori's conflicted feelings towards Liam. I am trying to build something between them all. I will also be adding moments from various episodes (though they'll be AU and modified to some extent). The events will still occur, though certain things could be changed.**

 **So up next, we will be touching on "Freak the Freak Out!" despite the timeline shift.**

 **Thank you everyone for the love and support. Have a good evening and see you all later.**


	11. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone and welcome to another chapter of Demons Within. I am excited to find that we've hit the 1000 views mark and I wanted to do something special for you all who read and follow this fic. I first want to announce that there will be a duel OC contest for two very significant roles. The first is for the big daddy role, the unknown individual who held control over Trina. I am open to both male and/female characters for this position. The direction we're headed in will see that character become a major part in the coming chapters. The second OC contest revolves a love interest and opposite of the of one of the major characters:**

 **Trina  
Cat  
Andre  
Beck  
**

 **While I added Trina to this list, I am adding a secondary love interest to the application. Nothing is truly set in stone but, just like the role of "Big Daddy", the character can be either a male or female. Sexuality is also not an issue either. Again, I am humbled and thankful to you all who read and enjoy this saga. The application will be posted under the chapter. I will hopefully bring more as time goes on but for now, thank you all once more for 1000+ views! I love and appreciate you all!**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 8: Soul's Edge**

Thursday afternoon.

An emotional weekend had come and gone, bringing with it a plethora of revelations had brought along a new sense of relief for some of the friends, the biggest recipient being Liam. After opening up completely to his two closest friends, the young man felt like the world was his oyster. His mind began to wander while his math teacher droned on about some conundrum. Thoughts of Jade and Tori pestering him about what could happen next after the two's "subtle" revealing of emotions brought a smirk of amusement to his face; a look that didn't go unnoticed.

"Mr. Patterson!" the elder woman's voice snapped him out of his inner world. "Is that weird grin of yours a sign of fascination for the beauty of math? Perhaps you'd care to come up and solve the equation?" she tapped the board with the pointer stick for emphasis.

He shook his head; his face adorned with embarrassment."N-no, ma'am. I don't know the answer, Ms. Jamison."

"Maybe if you spent as much time in the lesson as you do in the clouds you could've been better prepared for the problem." The others released a chorus of snickers and giggles at his unfortunate position. Despite being reprimanded, Liam nodded politely, prompting her smile to return. She was about to continue when the loud blaring of the school bell cut in. "Now then class, make sure you study your packets and be ready for your exam next week. It'll be worth one-fourth of your final grade" she called out.

Filing out, Liam managed to swerve around the heavy traffic of students, expertly zigzagging through the various bodies that were tightly packed against one another. He sighed in tremendous relief at being free of the prison of his calculus class. Sure he was far from dumb but, he found the concepts of it to be annoying. Rubbing his temples, he made his way to the courtyard, eager to get some food in his gut. Over the past few years, the lunch hang-out had expanded in types of foods to better suit the student's tastes. The multitude of scents bathed his senses. His lips formed a grin that rivaled a lion prepping for its prey.

He made his way to the Asphalt Cafe and spotted an Asian Cuisine cart, quickly placing an order for some General Tso's Chicken and three egg rolls. Once he received his food, he found his usual table, a familiar red haired girl, and dark skinned boy conversing. "Hey guys!" he greeted.

"Liam!" Cat Valentine leaped out of her seat, pulling him into a tight hug while, somehow, managing to avoid knocking his food out of his hand.

"Good to see you too, Cat." he chuckled. "Nice to see you upbeat."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" she cried in a hurt tone.

Realizing his mistake, he quickly assured her with a playful pat on the head. "I'm sorry. I meant it's nice that you're so happy."

"Oh! Kk!" she giggled while skipping back to her spot at the table.

"So, anything new?"

Both Andre and Cat exchanged glances, shaking their heads in unison.

"Not really, just a typical boring school day..." the former stuck his fork in his chicken salad. "Although, things may take a turn in the excitement department."

Liam raised an eyebrow, confusion and interest heightening. "Mhmm. How long before that happens?" he scoffed.

To his surprise, Andre simply raised his arm, gazing rather hard at his watch. "3... 2... 1..."

Suddenly, it all clicked in his head. A familiar voice caught his attention, though his feelings weren't fully on either side of the emotional pendulum yet.

"Hey, guys..." Tori greeted dejectedly as she squeezed between Liam and Cat.

Andre, sensing the slight tension in the air, chose to speak up. "What's got you upset, mu-chacha?"

"I left my wallet at home and I'm starving." she crossed her arms.

Without warning, she was stunned to see two large egg rolls appear in front of her. She looked to her left to find Liam was the one holding the plate of food.

"Liam... You don't have to..." Her attempts at declining his offer came to a grinding halt when the sounds of her growling spoke on her behalf.

"It seems that your stomach says differently." he chuckled softly. "Besides, I can always get another one. Now eat!"

Upon his insistence, Tori accepted his offering. As she prepared to devour the poor egg rolls, a tap on her right shoulder, her gaze shortly followed. Turning to see nobody other than a clueless Cat and eating Andre, she focused once more on the plate before her to find both of her egg rolls was now missing. Tori pondered for what felt like ages until the sounds of chomping and smacking flooded her ears.

"Oh man, Vega. This is so good." Jade West practically moaned while taking another bite, savoring the taste as well as the sight of Tori practically drooling from hunger. "You should try some."

Tori, being the type to attempt to avoid confrontation, was nearly frothing at the mouth. It was clear that her aching stomach was firmly in control of her body as she prepared to lunge at the goth stuffing her face. Things didn't play out as expected for Tori though. Her snarl began to disappear as the smells and sight of food once again caught her attention. Liam slid his tray to the girl with a soft smile, the expression not going unnoticed by Jade. She took a seat on the other side of the young man while Tori happily scarfed down the delicious chicken and noodles.

"How come Vega gets the main dish?" the goth pouted.

"Jade, be nice." he softly scolded. "Besides, had you just asked, I would've been more than happy to share my lunch with you."

Behind his back, Tori stuck out her tongue at her rival, only managing to resume her meal just as Liam turned his head. This was becoming a recurring thing between the three and out of them, he wasn't so sure that he was ready for anything else. While he enjoyed being around both girls, there was such a thing called personal space that he hadn't had since the past weekend. Whether at home, school, or even just a typical night out, he was always in contact with either Tori, Jade, or both in some way. He really enjoyed their company, but, he still valued his privacy sometimes.

"So, aside from that little episode just now, anything interesting going on tonight?" Andre piped up.

"Oh!" Cat bounced up. "I heard there's this new place that just opened up called Karaoke Dokie!"

With a smile, Andre turned his attention back to the trio. "What do you guys say?"

"Sounds great/Whatever." Tori and Jade chimed in simultaneously.

"Sorry. I can't make it tonight." Not surprisingly, the two swiftly eyed him like a hawk. "I have something to do..."

Before either could inquire further, he stood to his feet and left without another word. The remaining four just exchanged glances, confusion, and concern adorning their faces.

* * *

 **Karaoke Dokie**

After school, the gang all met up to head out with Liam and Beck being the only one absent. They arrived at Karaoke Dokie around 6 pm, marveling at the nice shape of the teen club. Robbie and Ahrya found a few seats near the large stage, as per usual for the couple. Cat cooed at the sight of the love birds enjoying the music while everyone either threw their hands up in resignation or rolled their eyes in annoyance.

On stage were two girls, one blond and the other brunette, singing an awful rendition of some pop song. It was enough to make even Jade West cringe. They soon finished to the sounds of an awkward applause. Cat, being oblivious of course, joined in as well. Tori and Andre both flashed glances of uncertainty as the blond girl mentioned something about there being no competition. On cue, Jade grabbed Cat's arm, pulling her on stage. She was determined to prove those girls wrong.

While the song was going on, Tori couldn't help but shake off this feeling that something wasn't right...

* * *

 **H.A. Gardens**

Liam sat on the roof of the complex, the cool breeze doing little to calm his mind. Normally this was his special place to just relax and meditate when life was too much for him to deal with. Flower beds full of various arrangement, a shaded bench swing, and even the perfect view of the city wasn't enough to rip him from his mental torture. Thankfully, he managed to finish his homework so that was one less thing to stress about, though it only accounted for maybe 5% of his current stress.

His eyes stared off at the horizon just as the sun had just finished its departure. Seeing the colors of dusk shine brilliantly flawlessly matched his current mood, a mystery. He never understood how the sky could mirror his own emotions and yet he took a little solace in not knowing as well. It was like seeing himself in a higher point of existence, a thought that allowed a smirk to settle.

"It's nice to see you smile again..." a familiar voice forced his lips to curl into a soft frown. "...even if only for a moment." Though his gaze remained fixated on the scene before, the figure could sense the shift. It was one of her many quirks that Liam absolutely hated. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"What are you doing here?" his voice, now lacking any emotion.

Surprisingly, the girl giggled. "Is that really what you want to ask me, cutie?"

His entire body seized up at her response. Her infuriating response...

"What do you want?" he crossed his arms while still refusing to look at the uncharacteristically cheerful person. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to meditate." His glare hardened, gripping the material of his shorts. His hair hung loosely over his face, making him look more carnal. It was clear that the mysterious figure had some significance to him.

"I want you to be happy, of course!" she rubbed her arm.

Triggered.

This was all that was needed for him to snap. He turned around to find no one there. Anyone who might've seen his haunted expression in his green eyes might've mistaken him for an escaped mental patient. He was more than happy after remembering that only a few frequented the area during the school week. He looked around, eyes carefully scanning the entirety of the rooftop, to see that he was, indeed, alone. A bead of sweat ran down his side of his face, a sigh of relief slipping from his lips. The figure was no longer there and he could finally relax.

Or so he thought as he turned only to find himself face to face with none other than: "Trina..."

"You're scary when you're angry." she whimpered.

His eye twitched as she made her way to the bench. He shook his head. His fists clenched tightly around his locs. He muttered some mantra. None of these things helped though as the image of Trina, clothed in an all white dress, sat looking at him confused. Her eyes, those beautiful honey brown eyes, beguiled his very soul. He continued to mumble something incoherent but he was desperate.

"You're not real," he whispered through clenched teeth. This was something he'd been burdened with since finding out Trina had left all those years ago. However, he had been cursed with hearing her voice but now? He'd only recently began seeing images of her. Whether in his dreams or when he was alone, he just couldn't escape this nightmare. Only one word could explain his actions now: desperation. He pointed a finger at her. "You're NOT REAL!" he yelled at 'Trina'. His eyes were dark with the very essence of hell itself.

"I'm as real as you want me to be." she stood up, her lips twisting into a ghost of a smile. His resolve began to disintegrate at her words, the truth shattering his defenses. Her eyes, originally bright with life contorted into a dark blood shade that caught Liam in its gaze. "I know **everything**." her voice became smoother and entrancing. Fear gripped the boy like never before as he felt himself rooted where he stood. **"The kiss between you and Jade."** gone was her smile, a dark scowl adorning her full lips. **"I have to admit, I didn't know she actually had a heart until that night. It was entertaining, to put it mildly, but..."** she watched as he fell to his knees, pain pouring from his eyes in the form of hot tears. He was silent, an expression that seemed fitting for the situation. **"I'm more curious with how you responded to her, and my little sister for that matter. You've been a naughty boy, haven't you?"**

Liam was helpless as a finger lifted his chin until he was gazing at her, blood rose eyes piercing his very core. "Y-you left m-me a-alone..." his words, though true, were more pathetic to the now sanguine creature that knelt before him. "I tried to help you. I wanted to save you."

 **"But, what did you do? Did you try to look for me?"** she pressed her finger over his mouth. **"No. You were too busy playing tonsil hockey with the likes of Jade and Tori!"** she snapped back. **"But, you can begin to make things right..."**

His eyes showed life for the first time since Trina took charge of the situation. What was once a feral wolf was nothing more than a submissive puppy awaiting approval from its owner. Two years of suffering in secret will do that to anyone, he was no exception.

"Anything."

This gross mirage of the woman he'd grown attached to smirked with cruel intentions. His heart threatened to shatter his rib cage as 'Trina' gently placed her palm against his cheek. It was the first time, just like the first time, that he felt as if he was gaining some peace. Was this love? Was this real? It certainly felt real.

 **"Kill yourself..."** she locked her gaze on him, entrancing his already weakened mind. The last of Liam's resistance was carried with the wind as he then felt the softness of his 'beloveds' lips pressed against his own.

He then bowed his head in defeat, muttering those two words before summoning the strength to stand to his feet.

His body was as if he was on auto-pilot.

His mind was no longer in control.

His eyes were empty and blank.

His spirit?

Broken? Shattered? No word could really describe the full extent of his unfortunate state.

Before he knew it, the young man could hear the various sounds of random people and vehicles beneath him. His mind was made up; he was going to jump and end this unbearable guilt and shame that continued to pull him deeper into to the tar pit of depression. All he had to do was take one step. One step and 'splat'! It would all be over.

"I probably won't feel a thing." he whispered through a bitter grin.

"What about us?" His eyes widened slightly at the voice that spoke up. "You're just going to give up?"

He shook his head slowly. "What's the point, Trina? Trina's right, I didn't try hard enough..."

"Since when has 'Trina' given YOU any good advice?" this time Jade's snarky voice flooded his ears. "Last time I checked, she told you that she was going to quit being a whore and instead, kept her lifestyle hidden from you and then told you that she was finally going to let you protect her only to do the complete opposite after having sex with you."

This wasn't really Jade... The real Jade West never cared a lick about Trina Vega nor her 'extra-curricular activities'.

"She's not really here. This is all in your head!" Tori called out to the troubled, and possibly disturbed, Liam. "Taking your life doesn't end the pain. It only gives it to someone else... The real Trina would NEVER let you take your life, let alone encourage you to do that."

Blinking, he clutched his head as many voices entered his mind.

 **"Don't believe them!"** The false Trina cried out with pain and hurt in each word.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" 'Jade' and 'Tori' roared at the figment who gritted its teeth.

"What do I do?!" They all turned their attention to the shivering form of Liam, his life literally hanging in the balance. "I can't take this anymore!"

This evil incarnation of the woman he cherished dared not make a move as her counterparts beat her to the punch, each taking his hand.

"You don't have to face these things alone." 'Tori's' sweet words slowly began to soothe him.

'Jade' gave his hand a soft squeeze. "We want to help you, but, you have to trust us. This is what drove 'her' to run away." she then shot a harsh glare at the figure who glared right back though, with much less intensity.

To his despair, his only problem was now being able to step back. He was literally frozen in place; stuck watching the potential end of his life. The only thing that brought him any relief was closing his eyes.

"LIAM!" within the sanctity of darkness, he could hear a cry of pure distress and worry. He groaned softly, eyes slowly opening see the dark sky littered with stars. His mind was foggy and an excruciating pain had taken residence in his brain. "Liam! Are you okay?"

"Give him some air, Vega!" This other voice, though equally panicky, was very recognizable.

"Wha... what's happening...?" he muttered, still trying to process things. "Ow, my head."

At that moment, he found himself being sat up by Tori and Jade who wore a mask of anger and worry mixed together. He didn't have to think too hard to know that this wasn't good for him. 'At least they're a part of my mind.' he assured himself. That didn't last long though as he noticed something: Trina, or at least his mental version of Trina, was nowhere to be found. This brought to him a very painful revelation.

Two skull rattling slaps landed flush on his cheeks nearly disorienting him again.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! he stared at the two blankly as he realized they were the real deal. He opened his mouth to speak only to receive another hard slap courtesy of one Jade West. "You nearly gave us a heart attack!"

He said nothing. Nothing could justify his actions just now. The very idea that he had allowed his mind to claim dominance over him made his stomach twist in knots. There really was no excuse that he could give either of them.

"I'm sorry..." his tone was so low that it was almost impossible discernable. "I lost myself..."

Tori, feeling the urge to hit him once more, remained silent as she analyzed the damaged guy. Every word was a struggle coming from his mouth. A closer inspection revealed how shaken he was from whatever he was dealing with. Scratch that, she had a clear idea what pushed him to this.

The letter.

"Jade, let him speak." she took the goth's wrist and gently brought it to her side. "Liam, you're still being haunted by Trina, aren't you?"

Feeling no ability to even open his mouth, he simply nodded.

"I thought he was over her?" Jade spoke up, though with a lot less harshness in her voice. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I thought..." he eked out before biting his lip. "After I read the letter, I didn't know what to make of things. I had just gotten over her but reading that letter had more than one effect on me. On one hand, I felt free enough to want to pursue other relationships but..."

Both caught on to where he was going. "You felt abandoned again?"

"Exactly."

Without hesitation, they pulled him into a strong hug. No more words were needed at this point as they shared their embrace, a small and genuine smile settling.

For now, things would be alright.

* * *

The rest of the night was a blur but early in the morning, Liam woke up in his bed, an unconscious Jade cuddled up under him. As alarming as this was, he was grateful that she was at least wearing clothes. (His clothes but clothes nonetheless.) Barely able to suppress his blush, he did his best to calm his nerves. To make matters worse, he could feel the blood rushing to an all too familiar organ, and he could have sworn that Jade's smirk was a clear reaction to its growth. He hoped that nothing happened between them during the night.

'At least I could've been conscious when something goes down.' he joked in his head.

He took a good look around and noticed that it was nearly sunrise due to the tiny sliver of light in the sky. He softly groaned as he just stared at the ceiling. This meant that he would have to head to school and he was having none of that. His eyes were still pretty heavy and his body felt like it was full of lead. There was no way he would survive the day dealing with teachers and classmates. After that mental war he endured, the word drained didn't even begin to describe how he felt. With the way things were going, Liam wasn't going anywhere.

"Mmmm..." he turned his attention once more to Jade who shifted against his body. "Relax tiger. We're not going anywhere today," she yawned. "Especially not class."

Glancing at her, exhaustion started to assert its dominance once more over him. "What makes you so sure?"

She opened one eye, daring him to challenge her. "We're going out tonight."

"Okay, sure..." he stretched his free arm.

Jade turned his face back towards her own, her face leaving no room for argument. "You're also going to tell me what you saw last night before we saved you." Once more, he felt fear grab hold of him but only for a moment as Jade smiled at him. "Relax, everything's going to be alright. Just don't pretend you can handle everything all by yourself, alright?"

"Y-yeah. I promise..." he grinned.

Satisfied, Jade shifted her body until she was firmly lying on top of him.

"Good, now get some rest. You're going to need it, tiger." she gently placed her lips onto his thus removing any chance of a protest of rebuttal before they both felt the weight of sleep overthrow them. The last thing Liam remembered hearing made him wonder if he was indeed dreaming. Unfortunately, the answer would have to wait until the two woke up as he felt their heartbeats synchronizing.  
"I love you, Liam."

* * *

 **Once again, thank you, everyone, for your love and support! The only thing left to do is give you all the OC applications for the two roles. Keep in mind that the role of "Big Daddy" can be filled by a male or female OC. The role of the love interest can also be male or female and sexuality can be whatever you feel comfortable with.**

 **Name:**

 **Age (17-24):**

 **Gender:**

 **Sexuality:**

 **Role ('Big Daddy' or love interest):**

 **Personality in public:**

 **Hair (color, style, length):**

 **Race/ethnicity:**

 **Body (Build, markings or tattoos, etc):**

 **Clothing style:**

 **Secondary love interest (if not with Trina)**

 **[Andre, Cat, or Beck]**

 **Added details (skills, career, etc.)**

 **Feel free to send your OC info via the review section or PM. Now with that said, I am so grateful for the love and support you all have given this fiction, and I look forward to bringing another chapter very soon. I hope you all enjoy your week and, until next time, be safe and read on.**


	12. Chapter 9

**So, I feel that I have to explain some things that have occurred within the last chapter. Without further ado, let's get this out of the way. The first thing I want to touch on is Liam's development. After Trina's disappearance, he went into the 5 stages of grief only he only exhibited signs of four of the five signs. Denial, anger, depression, and acceptance were all shown to some capacity but the bargaining phase remained unmentioned. The reason for that is that he kept that part within himself in order to get the others to stop worrying about him. He was always used to being the strong one throughout his life, Liam never had an opportunity to be 'weak' and show how things really affected him. This went on over the 2+ year span and later manifested into him hearing voices in his head, similar to Robbie and Rex. Once he started admitting his inner feelings to Jade and Tori, things started getting better and he "completed" the stages only to be thrown back into the bargaining stage when he read the letter written by Trina.**

 **Him burning it caused a chain reaction that saw the voices transitioning into an image to go along with. His subconsciousness was now forcing him to accept the reality of how much Trina really impacted his heart and soul. The image was his depression, anxiety, trauma, guilt, and feeling of failure all rolled into one, again similar to Robbie's attempt earlier in this series.**

 **Jade and Tori are actually playing the same role and yet, as polar opposites, they are, in fact, also competing for his heart. Each has their own personal reasons for pursuing Liam but, they have one thing in common in their pursuit: replacing Trina in his heart. While this may seem to be a selfish reason, there is more to the story that will be revealed as the story progresses. Individually, they both have something that seems to conflict with their goal. For Tori, her biggest obstacle is the feeling of betrayal to her sister. While in the show, she is popular and well liked, she felt that reality was also a curse in this regard. Basically, it was the budding relationship between Liam and Trina that caused her to back down so that the latter couldn't blame her for taking away her happiness. In truth though, her attraction fully developed after the altercation between Liam and her ex-boyfriend that showed her just how much she really liked him. She also doesn't realize that her interest in him actually occurred well before her elder sister.**

 **Jade's attraction came well before either of the Vega sisters as she was introduced to Liam at the very beginning. While it seemed that, initially, she hated his guts, it was the effects of change that pushed her to understand her feelings. Seeing him stand up to her and show no fear even after the incident, she grew to see him as a challenge, something that she longed to see in Beck Oliver. After the showcase, she had accepted her feelings for him but remembered that she was with Beck, who was growing more and more possessive. (more on that later) Now, her main confliction is being rejected, point blank. She flirts and throws (subtle & obvious) hints in his direction to gauge his reactions while developing a true friendship. She and Tori, being polar opposites, exhibit differing ways of approach. For now, they will be together in opening Liam's heart up but with intentions of claiming a spot inside of it.**

 **I hoped that cleared a few things up in regards to what's going on specifically with the main three that are being touched on. I will be bringing more information about the two OC character spots that are associated with the contest, probably in the next chapter. The contest will be open for a bit as I try and complete this current story arc. I wanted to conclude the first arc about two or three chapters ago, but that won't be happening until after the next several chapters are completed.**

 **With all of that out of the way, I welcome you all to the next installment of Demons Within. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 9: Stability**

Tori Vega stood at the door to Liam and Robbie's dorm room with a grave look. After the events of last night, she was a bundle of nerves that resulted in her barely getting any rest at home. She raised a fist, lightly tapping against the door frame.

'Who would've thought things could've gotten this bad.' her mind lured her to the events of the last several hours. In fact, it was her that had the idea to leave the Karaoke bar in hopes of seeing Liam while Jade was preoccupied with trying to trump the two self-centered girls whose names were Hayley and Tara. She barely made it halfway before the Goth caught up to her though this only prompted an argument about the former being sneaky and trying to one-up the latter. Though both knew the accusation was far from true, neither would step down from their resolves. The only thing that put an end to their debate was them seeing someone standing on the edge of the rooftop who they later identified to be Liam.

Fearing the worst, the two rushed to the rooftop via the stairs; they didn't want to risk time with the elevator. The stress and worry made for a perfect stew of emotional discord once they arrived at the top. While trying to assess the situation before them, Tori had to convince the normally impulsive Goth to approach the situation with caution. Things appeared to be shifting for the worst when the sounds of Liam muttering caught their attention. Listening to him closely, Tori managed to decipher that he was actually having a conversation with someone. Whoever he was in conflict with, it was clear that 'they' were winning.

"Kill Yourself..."

That was the main 'mantra' being recited which prompted the duo to take his hands in an attempt to talk him down. How nobody else saw these things transpire was a mystery that could be investigated at a later time. Their only focus was to get the teen to a safer spot on the roof. Every second passing was a rollercoaster of emotions as multiple times, she witnessed Liam teetering closer to the unforgiving pavement that lay in wait.

She had to shake her head back to the present and focus on the bigger picture.

"At least he's safe." she exhaled softly.

"Who's safe, Vega?" an all too familiar voice scared her.

The sight of a drowsy and unkempt Jade leaning against the door was something she did not expect. Her raven hair was all over the place, and her eyes had the faintest of dark circles under them signaling her desire for more sleep. Her lips curled just slightly downward before letting out an ungodly yawn that borderline came off as a ferocious animal.

"Jade?" she grunted. "W-what are you doing here?"

Simply rolling her eyes, she eyed the flustered Tori with a playful smirk. "Aw, were you expecting someone else, Vega?" the teasing game didn't last long though as she looked over her shoulder for a second. "To answer your REAL question, Liam's not here." This only served to disappoint the Latina. "He left a note stating that he was going to the Hollywood Arts Gym, though..." she peered down both ends of the hallway. "He was supposed to stay in bed and rest. Stubborn ass..." Jade let that last part trail off.

Even though they now knew his whereabouts, Tori was still worried.

* * *

In one of the private workout rooms, Robbie watched closely as Andre and Liam sparred with one another. Considering they both were decently skilled in martial arts, they weren't holding too much back. Andre threw a solid right hook that was nearly connected with Liam's face had he not sway out of way. Throwing a swift kick, Andre was surprised to find it caught and countered into a leg sweep by the unusually extra focused boy.

"Ow!" he groaned after colliding on the mat.

"Oops. Sorry about that." Liam stuck his hand out.

Rubbing his sore behind, Andre graciously accepted the help. "No problem. Didn't know you had that in your arsenal."

"There's a lot about me that remains unknown." Liam chuckled. "Should we go another round? Or is it Rob's turn to get his butt handed to him?"

Robbie Shapiro looked at the two boys and shook his head furiously. "Oh no! The last time we sparred, Andre nearly dumped me on my head." he pointed at the singer who rubbed his neck sheepishly. He then turned his finger to Liam, who appeared amused at what 'reason' he would use to get out of practicing with him. "And you? How many times have you knocked out all of the wind I thought I owned?!"

Andre and Liam finally let out a hysterical laugh, the former rolling on the floor while other was wiping away a few stray tears.

"Come on. That was one move." he reasoned.

"What about the time you locked me in a heel hook for too long, even though I was tapping?"

"I told you to tap the body not the floor." he managed to keep from laughing.

"The left hook a few months ago?"

"You forgot to dodge?"

"The sucker punch?"

"I told you not to sneak up behind me." Liam shrugged.

"You body slammed me into oblivion!"

"Stop being a wuss..." Andre snickered.

If this were a cartoon, an irritated Robbie would've been guaranteed to have a large tick mark plastered on his temple. "Always got an answer dontcha?"

"Maybe..." he flashed a smug grin. "So you ready to spar or are you going to continue to whine about the past?"

He watched as Robbie took a traditional monkey style karate stance prompting Liam to take a crouching stance. Andre stood in as referee prepared to announce the start of the match. "You guys set?" both nodded, their focused gazes locked on the other. "Alright, then 3..." The curly haired teen frowned; his brain mentally planning his first move. "...2..." Liam held a stone face, unwilling to give Robbie any advantage. "...1. Fight!"

The boys charged only to hear a strange whistling sound followed by a sickening thud. Halting dead in their tracks, they soon figured out that something had whizzed past their faces, narrowly missing Andre by a hair. The boys turned in the direction of the mysterious item, soon realizing the heavy consequences of whatever deed they'd committed. Embedded in the wooden wall was a pair of freshly sharpened scissors which could only mean one thing. Though all three knew what was to follow the deadly item, one, in particular, knew who would receive the brunt of the owner of them.

"Oh no..." the horror behind his words seemed to transfer to the others.

"LIAM!" All of them cringed and slowly turned to find a peeved Tori and a seething Jade. "You've got a lot of nerve ditching me!" To say that things were bad for him would be an understatement of epic proportion. To make matters worse for him, she was wielding another pair of scissors, waving it rather menacingly near his face As he backed up into the wall.

"Jade, wait! I can explain."

His attempt at reason, however, fell on deaf ears. "I told you to stay in bed and rest after what happened last night, didn't I?"

He nodded without so much as a word. Tori Vega watched intently as a form of peace keeper in hopes that things didn't escalate too far. Sure, she was upset at the guy for disappearing, but, she didn't want to have him maimed either. Meanwhile, Andre and Robbie looked at one another, both curious about what the Goth was referring to.

"What happened last night?" Andre inquired only to have the mother of all glares directed at him; a move that Liam was equally grateful and worried about.

"It doesn't concern you." thankfully her tone had softened just enough to signal that her aggravation wasn't meant for them. "I suggest you both get out. _We_ have some private matters to discuss." Liam audibly gulped once the ivory girl fixed her piercing eyes back on him.

"That's not fair!" Robbie piped up, much to Tori's disappointment, and Jade's anger. "He's my roommate and our friend. If something's going on, we have a right to-"

"GET OUT SHAPIRO!" she roared, resulting in the two swiftly, and clumsily, grabbing their belonging and yelling for help. Just before the door to the training room closed, they could hear Andre yelling "The girl ain't right!" from down the hall; a statement that brought out a small giggle of amusement from Tori herself. "Vega, you should leave too. This is a personal conversation." her gaze darkened even more if that was possible. Tori, not wanting to further anger her friend and rival, cautiously approached her.

"Are you sure? I don't want anything happening..."

"Relax, I won't kill him." her lips curling into a deeper frown.

"I really don't think it's best to leave you two alone right now." she pleaded, revealing just how little she trusted Jade. "Besides who's going to-"

"Tori, please?" her voice uncharacteristically softer now, she turned to the brunette with a look of desperation. "I swear to you that nothing is going to happen. You have my word."

In a show of good faith, she lowered the scissors from Liam's neck, soon tossing them to the girl who regularly was the yin to her yang. She found that to be almost enough as the girl pocketed the tools. "What about the one in the wall?" Predictably, Jade rolled her eyes and complied. Giving a few good pulls, she managed to lodge them from the spot they'd been buried in before handing those over as well. "Satisfied?"

Despite the annoyance in her voice, Tori was indeed content enough to believe the words of the girl who, at one time, tried to make her life a living hell. Raising a brow, she nodded and began her departure. Liam watched as she turned one more time, a look that said 'good luck' flashing along her face. "I'll be outside with the guys if you need me." Jade nodded with a small smile. Even though she found it completely irritating, she knew Tori meant well.

Speaking of irritation, she began to hear the light shuffling of feet behind her and smirked internally at how well she knew her friend.

"I wouldn't go any further." her words forcing him to cease his escape attempt. "You of all people should know that I carry spares. It would be in your best interest to remain where you are or suffer my wrath."

While not normally prone to fear, even the young boy knew that the only thing scarier than an irate Jade West was a calm Jade West. As with the events of the night prior, Jade showing emotional wrath usually resulted in some blow being thrown. In retrospect, in her calm stage, there was no telling what would happen. He made it his mission to do as he was told as she turned to him, an unreadable expression adorning her face.

"I wouldn't want that, to be honest." he finally chimed in. "Last time, I wound up with a sore jaw for two days."

Each step she took brought her closer, like a lion stalking its prey. Behind Jade's eyes was a whirlwind of emotional anguish that, if provoked, would sweep the nervous Liam. The clopping of her boots echoed throughout the room. His eyes darted at the lone door, hoping that someone would accidentally come inside and draw the girl's attention away from him, if only for a moment. A few more steps and she literally in his personal space. Only an inch or two separated them, neither saying anything though, a silent conversation ensued. The electric charge in the air around them, they pressed on, defeat not an option for the duo as their gazes never left one another's.

Suddenly, Jade raised a hand. Half expecting to get slapped for the third time that week, Liam found himself looking dumbfounded at her smirking face, stunned as her hand cupped his cheek. He wanted to ask her something but found his mouth occupied with Jade's soft lips crashing into his own. It was just like last time at the peak... He tasted her apple lip gloss while wrapping his arms around her waist. Time for them stood still as their tongues restarted their war for dominance. Her soft moans were music to his ears as he lowered his body, gently pulling her down with him until they both were seated along the hardwood floor.

As their kiss intensified, Jade felt that familiar drive for control build from within her core as she bit his bottom lip gently. She pressed her body up against his partially clothed and sweaty chest as lust poured out of her pores. This was what she wanted that night. Liam's mind was empty at this point, his body on auto-pilot. His hands explored the length of her form, lightly grazing what parts of the skin that were exposed. Jade was certainly enjoying the feeling of tiny shockwaves pulsating from every spot that was grazed by his touch. There was only one problem... Kneeling down between his legs, she could feel a certain part of his anatomy growing under his gray sweat pants.

Everything within Jade's soul begged her to grab it but, she didn't. Instead, she pulled away and watched him with half lidded eyes full of passion and desire while trying to calm her breathing down. The young man beneath her slowly opened his eyes, lost in the magic of the moment. "Just like how we met right?"

She was actually happy when he chuckled softly at the memory.

"Almost. I don't quite remember you trying to kiss me but rather kill me." his smirk caused butterflies to flutter in her stomach. "But, I'm glad for the rewrite to the script."

"Me too," she stated while tucking a bit of her hair behind her ear. "Though maybe next time, we skip the emotional drama and just enjoy this."

She placed another soft kiss on his lips before standing up to her feet.

"I agree... I' kind of tired of getting slapped." Jade let out a giggle though stifled it not too long after. "I will admit, I was impressed with how you got rid of the guys. Andre nearly squealed like a girl."

Jade rolled her eyes, though in amusement. "How much you wanna bet that Robbie wet himself?"

Thinking it over, Liam shook his head before pulling himself to his feet. "Trust me, I believe you. But, why were you so mad earlier? I left the note for you." His eyes were full of confusion that became amplified when he found himself being poked in the chest, courtesy of Jade's index finger.

"It's simple. The doctor gave you instructions and you disobeyed. That's typically grounds for forced bed rest and restraint." she then drew her finger just under his chin. "Lucky for you, I'm more than willing to forgive and forget. But there's one condition you have to meet."

He eyed her, skepticism written all over his face. "What's the condition?"

His answer was nothing more than a seductive smirk.

* * *

Later on that night, led by Tori and Jade, the gang found themselves wondering why they were back at Karaoke Dokie, Cat actually asking the question. After the events of the night prior, Hayley and Tara were responsible for getting them all banned from singing after being accused (correctly) of rigging the contest. Once it was discovered that the owner was, in fact, Tara's father, it was clear that anyone who challenged them was fighting a losing battle. Fortunately, the girls had a plan.

"Look what the cat dragged in." Hayley taunted with a rather noticeably large scowl. "What are you losers doing back here?"

Fighting the urge to rip the pair apart at the seams, Jade stepped up. "Despite your daddy banning us from singing, we must admit this place has awesome food." That wasn't a complete lie but, all the same, speaking anything positive about such heinous people left a bad taste in her mouth.

"Well, stick around and watch what real talent sounds like." This time Tara was the one to spew out some nonsensical dribble that made Jade want to puke.

"Oh, please..." she interrupted. "There are dozens of people in this place alone with more talent than you two."

"Is that a challenge?" The girls exchanged cocky grins. "How about a friendly wager then? We pick someone at random to compete against us. If they win, you're all unbanned from the karaoke stage, but, when we win, we get a date with him."

Everyone was thrown completely off, no one more so than Andre Harris who was the subject of the girls bet."

"Whoa wait a minute." He laughed nervously. Sure the girls were attractive but they were annoying as all hell. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Deal! But the crowd chooses who wins, not 'daddy dearest'." Jade called out, ignoring the boy's protests. "Now choose."

Hayley and Tara scoured the room for the 'perfect' candidate, their search leads them to a lone teen sitting in the far corner of the building. He was wearing thick rimmed glasses, a retro Pokemon shirt, some old jeans with suspenders and, to top it all off, he was organizing what appeared to be Yu-Gi-Oh cards. Their grins became ear splitting once they saw the sight of this guy.

"We choose him," Hayley announced arrogantly.

"Come on, that's not fair..." Tori tried to protest.

"She said we could choose anyone." Tara stuck her nose up at the disappointed brunette. "And we choose him."

"Fine, whatever..." Jade huffed.

Within minutes the dorky guy was standing on the stage looking completely out of place. From various murmurs to outright laughter, it was clear that the snobby girls had a clear advantage. The announcer did his best to hype up the crowd but it did little to help.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, let's give it up for our next contestant um..."

"Barry." he announced in an Urkel style voice.

"...Barry who'll be singing the classic song "Knocks Me Off My Feet". Give him some love everyone!"

As the music started, he looked around at the crowd, fear gripping him. That is until he spotted Jade and Tori smirking/smiling at him. He took a deep breath and followed the music.

 **Turn the lights off in this place**

 **And she shines just like a star**

 **And I swear I know her face**

 **I just don't know who you are**

 **Turn the music up in here**

 **I still hear her loud and clear**

 **Like she's right there in my ear**

 **Telling me**

 **That she wants to own me**

 **To control me**

 **Come closer**

 **Come closer**

As the music began to shift, the tempo picked up a bit and Liam or "Barry" allowed the confidence to shine through. He let the melody flow like water while savoring the shocked looks on the faces of the once heckling crowd of kids.

 **Oh I just can't pull myself away**

 **Under her spell, I can't break**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

 **And I just can't break myself no way**

 **But I don't want to escape**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

Hayley and Tara just watched in awe at how well this boy could sing. Even more surprising, he began to remove the suspenders, letting them fall to his sides. He then tossed the glasses to the crowd and at that moment, gone was the seemingly insecure nerd, to be replaced by an attractive and confident young man who was now enjoying himself while cruising along with the music. The gang cheered him on, the loudest being Cat, as he continued.

 **I can feel her on my skin**

 **I can taste her on my tongue**

 **She's the sweetest taste of sin**

 **The more I get the more I want**

As Jade watched on, she couldn't help but feel like the words were mainly about her. Thankfully, she had her hair to cover the blush creeping up on her face.

 **She wants to own me**

 **Come closer**

 **She says "come closer"**

The music continued on, everyone had now stood to their feet to either clap or dance along to the great song. It was clear that he'd succeeded in winning the challenge for his friends and, yes, even Beck who was sitting in the farthest part of the club. None of that mattered as Liam only had two things that mattered to him. It seemed that his thoughts reached at least one of the girls. Tori was busy dancing, Jade herself couldn't tear her eyes from him, a soft smirk gracing her face. in the end, he knew he'd won the ultimate prize: Her forgiveness. Not for leaving her earlier that day, but for making her and Tori worry about him all this time. It was expected that he'd be forgiven by Tori. Jade was another story... He had to EARN that and if her face was any indication, he did just that.

'Time to finish this.' he took a deep breath just as the music began to fade.

 **Oh I just can't pull myself away**

 **Under her spell, I can't break**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

Soon the entire room, minus Hayley, Tara, and Beck, were jumping on beat with

 **And I just can't break myself no way**

 **But I don't want to escape**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

 **I just can't stop**

 **"Come Closer."**

The crowd went nuts for Liam who took a simple bow before hopping off of the stage. The results were unanimous according to the cheers from the other teenagers. They didn't bother to wait for the reading of the winner(s) but chose to celebrate by getting some ice cream on the way back home. Andre took Beck and Cat home since they lived nearby leaving Liam to take drop off the others. Since the club was actually near the dorms, he thought it best to drop off Robbie and Ahrya who thanked him as per usual before heading inside.

The remainder of the car ride was pretty silent, though it was a comfortable silence at least. The music playing seemed to set the tone for the relaxing ride which served as a perfect contrast to the hyped up environment they'd recently left behind. Soon came the intersection in which something led him to head towards Jade's house first. Another few minutes passed before arriving at the West residence. Like a gentleman, Liam stepped out and escorted a slightly disappointed Jade to her front door. In truth, she was hoping to spend the night with him again but didn't speak up about it. While unable to have her way, she gave him a kiss on the cheek, a move that didn't go unnoticed by Tori Vega. As she entered her house, she flashed a grin after hearing that she was welcomed to stay over anytime.

After pulling off, he did the same for Tori, though after explaining what the kiss was about first. Not seeing this coming, he blushed extremely hard when she mirrored the Goth's actions only onto his lips. Before he could pull away, she grabbed his face, deepening the kiss to the point where they both became lost in the moment. Unlike last time, Liam could feel more emotion dripping from her pillow soft lips that forced him to give back twice as much as he was receiving. Eventually, they had to pull apart in which Tori gave him a wink and left. Once inside, Liam pulled out and headed home, hoping to get some rest. Unfortunately, once he pulled into the parking lot, the need for sleep eluded him.

"Great..." he muttered to nobody in particular. "...another sleepless night."

He flashed his ID to the watch guard then proceeded to the rooftop where he sought to clear his head. The night sky was brilliantly lit with various stars and constellations. Nearly an hour passed, his mind drifting off while his eyes felt heavy once again. 'Finally.' he celebrated before heading back downstairs to his dorm room. The empty hallways were just how he liked them to be, empty. No one out to disturb his thoughts, the likes of which were focused on two people in particular. He truly began to analyze these thoughts once he entered the near pitch black room. (Thank goodness he was used to the layout) On one side, he felt like a ray of sunlight had touched his core when an image of Tori flooded his mind's eye. Her warm smile. Her brown eyes. Her sunny personality. All these things and more made her an excellent person to be friends with. Considering too that she'd also been exhibiting a strange but welcomed form of confidence towards him didn't hurt things either.

On the other hand, there was Jade. If Tori was the sunshine in his life, Jade would be the moon. She had that calming effect that only comes from someone with a peculiar attitude such as hers. They'd had their ups and downs throughout their time together in Hollywood Arts which only strengthened their bond as friends. Even when they were at each other's throats, they still managed to work things out. She, like Tori, was there when he was broken over Trina's disappearance and even stayed the night with him to make sure he was stable mentally wise. Even though she was rough around the edges, she was still someone he could rely on as both a friend and romantic partner. She was aggressive but also gentle when the situation called for and that was what stuck out to him the most.

"So..." he whispered while staring at the ceiling. "...who do I choose?"

The only thing for certain was his desire to move on from his past; from Trina, and even though she would always remain his first, he could tell that his longing for her was faded. Perhaps this wouldn't be as difficult as thought it would? As he shut his eyes, he soon found himself carried off into dreamland where both of his crushes awaited him.


	13. Chapter 10

**Welcome one and all to another chapter of Demons Within! I am happy to announce that this chapter is the first official chapter for the second arc. I was going to start the next arc in chapters eight and nine during the events of "Freak the Freak Out". However, the original plan of replacing a semi-incapacitated Trina didn't seem to work out. I was originally going to put both Jade and Tori in that spot. The major conflict would've been which girl does Liam's spend time with considering they live a good distance from one another. The biggest issue lied in the actual plot for the club, Karaoke Dokie and the duo of Hayley and Tara who went out of their way to get Jade and the other's banned (except Tori). In the end, I was given the idea to instead focus on Liam's mental state and his progress and effect of dealing with real life problems.**

 **The plan was for him to disappear on everyone, re-emerging only when they all follow him to a cemetery for an emotional meeting that he has with a deceased relative every year. Clearly, this didn't pan out that way but, I wanted to share that with you all. I am, however, pleased to announce that this story arc will center around the country of Yerba during the events of "Locked Up". The entire arc will be centered around the friend's trip to Yerba but there will be some twists and turns throughout the arc.**

 **I really hope that you all enjoy and feel free to give your input on what you'd like to see in future chapters.**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 10: Trapped**

Orange. As far as the eye could see, the color orange over shadowed essentially any other color in the vicinity. This was the reality for Liam and his friends who found themselves trapped within the cold confines of Yerba's prison system. The dingy shade of orange in question was, in fact, the color of their prison jumpsuits. Various emotions adorned the faces of the teens. Irritation was owned by Liam himself as he clutched the fence that separated the males from the female inmates. Beside him was Andre whose expressions would shift from concern to pure fear, depending on the situation. Robbie stood next to his girlfriend, Ahrya who was a bit worried about what would happen. Jade and Beck stood around on their respective ends, not really letting the circumstances change their mood. A guilty Tori eyed her side very carefully as she made sure to keep herself out of the crosshairs of the other prisoners.

"Okay, I've had it!" Robbie erupted, startling everyone except Jade, who was surprised, though. "I demand to know why I've been put on the girl's side when I'm clearly a boy!" he stomped over to some of the guards who looked rather confused at his statements. "I should be over there with the other men."

The boy's simply face palmed. "Leave it to Robbie to be the only guy in the world who would complain about being stuck on the side full of women." Liam sighed in resignation.

"Maybe it's more about his pride and dignity?" Andre placed a hand on his buddy's shoulder.

Taking that into consideration, the trio were soon dragged from their thoughts when one of the guards chuckled mischievously and challenged Robbie's claim. "Prove it!"

To their surprise, it almost looked as if he was going to do just that. His motions were put to a halt when the curly haired boy finally considered his options. He dropped his head and made his way back to his group. "I'll just stay on the girl's side..." he grumbled to the chorus of laughs from the guards assigned to oversee them.

"...And there goes said dignity..." Beck called out in a tone that only the other guys could hear.

Andre and Liam both snickered at the joke, the former noticing something important: He and Beck were actually getting along for once. That revelation was a bitter pill to swallow, but the fact of being incarcerated together would do that when your need to survive outweighs your own personal vendetta. "Good one, Beck!" he wiped a tear from his eye. Their fun would come to an end when a voice from the distance called out.

"Hey!" The three turned to find themselves practically surrounded by a small group of men, each showing separate reactions to what they were witnessing.

"We're... we're going to die!" Andre immediately began to break down in fear.

"Don't act scared," Beck whispered.

"I'm not acting!" he replied.

Liam watched closely, yet said nothing while sizing up the men across from them. From the group, a rather tall man with a large scar that went from the bridge of his nose to the edge of his jawline stepped forward. Each of the boys eyed his movements for one reason or another.

"What's up, fellas?" Beck put on a nervous smile.

"You!" he pointed him out. "How do you get your hair so... fluffy?"

"Um... well?"

"HOW?!" he yelled.

A still freaking out Andre grabbed his best friend by the collar. "Tell them what they want to know!" his eyes pleading with the fluffy haired boy.

"Well, it all starts with a quality shampoo and conditioner."

In that moment, the boys began to calm down as the men began nodding among themselves. One had pulled out a small notebook and began writing down the tips being given to them. As Beck continued giving tips on hair care, Liam spared a glance at the girls. Despite his own safety, he was concerned with the well being of Tori and the others. His thoughts may have been picked up on as he notices Tori mirroring his action.

A silent conversation transpired between them until the disturbing sounds of the guards signaling that yard time was over broke their gazes. Every inmate shuffled back into the cold and dark building through their respective sides. As the teens pressed on, they all nodded in support of one another, all except for the giggling and bouncing Cat. Surprisingly, she was excited about 'joining a prison gang or something.'

* * *

Soon the night came and all the men and women were huddled into their respective cells for the night. On the men's side, Andre, Beck, and Liam were fortunate to have been locked up together, the latter of which was lost in his own world. On the women's side, Tori and Jade were paired together leaving Robbie, Ahrya, and Cat to share a cell. While the Goth was trying to get some sleep, she found her attempts impossible due to her cell mate's insistent pacing.

"What is your problem, Vega?" she hissed. "In case you didn't notice, I'm trying to get some shut eye before our gross breakfast." Upon closer inspection, Jade could hear the faint sounds of muttering. "What is wrong with you?"

Evidently, this was enough to force Tori to stop in her tracks. "What?" her voice was so low, even Jade had a difficult time hearing them.

Crossing her arms, the blue eyed girl tightened her lips. "I asked what was the matter with you? You've been more quiet than usual and here you are, apparently having a panic attack." Her glare seemed to make the girl cringe. Jade took notice of this reaction and tried a more sympathetic approach. "Listen, this whole ordeal's been hard on all of us. However, this doesn't change the fact that there's something you're not being honest about."

The grimace on her face was proof of Jade's observation. "Is it that noticeable?"

"It could only be more obvious if there were a neon sign over your head that read 'I have a problem'." she allowed her lips to rest in a grin.

"Okay, I'm just..." Tori threw her hands up. "I don't know..."

"Guilty." Jade simply finished much to her rival's frustration. "You're feeling guilty about all of this happening. You feel like everything up to this point was your fault."

"Thank you, Dr. West for your brilliant observation." she slouched against the cold and damp concrete. Pulling her gaze up, she noticed Jade eyeing her still, causing her to feel even more uncomfortable than normal.

"You're hiding something..." Brown orbs grew to the size of golf balls thus proving the Goth's words to be true; a reality that brought the ghost of a smirk onto Jade's lips. "You're thinking about 'him', aren't you?"

"N-no...!" she called out rather loudly; a chorus of 'shhh' and 'shut ups' echoed down the depressing corridor. "I'm worried about everyone..." she growled, this time in a more hushed tone. Had it not been for the hesitation in her voice at first, her excuse might've been enough to convince Jade of her resolve.

"Face it, you're not fooling anyone. Even Cat can tell you've got the hots for Liam." Tori averted her eyes to anything that could pull her away from the calculating eyes of Jade. She settled on a dark corner untouched by the moon's rays. "Tori, you have to be honest with yourself. Liam knows we like him and yet, it seems that the only thing stopping you from even crossing the proverbial line is you."

"No I'm not..." her voice trailed off while pulling her arms closer to her chest.

"Bullshit." despite not raising her voice, the weight of her response was enough to catch Tori off guard. "In the last few months, I've managed to confess my feelings, kiss him, sing a duet with him, and even sleep with him." she held up a hand to stop the girl in her tracks. "Not in that way either, Vega. The point I'm getting at is that I'm trying to establish a future with Liam," Jade turned to face the barred window, the cold air kissing her face. "Preferably, a future with me."

"Jade, you don't understand..."

Without even a chance to blink, Tori Vega found herself swarmed by the arms of her frenemy. "You're an idiot, 've got to let go of that guilt that's holding you hostage." Tori's silence was reason enough for Jade to continue as the two pulled away. "I know, Trina's your sister and you love her, but you can't keep beating yourself up about HER decision to just up and leave him behind. The way I see it, she forfeited her right to Liam's heart when she chose to run away without so much as a PROPER goodbye to the guy." Tears began to well up. "You need to be honest and accept whatever feelings you have and act on them."

Nodding, Tori finally let a light smile settle on her face, the first real smile she'd had since being locked behind the bars of Yerba's 'highest quality' prison.

"Thank you, Jade. I do like him a lot and Trina's decision was her own doing." she wiped the salty crystals trailing down her cheek. She was about to say something heartfelt when her face scrunched up in both confusion and shock. "Jade?"

"Hmmm?" she pulled herself up onto the top bunk.

"Not that I'm not grateful but," she scratched the back of her head. "Why help me with this when you're pursuing him too?" skepticism laced her every word.

"Simple." Jade cut her eyes to the Latina across from her. "If I'm going to claim him, I'd rather you put up a good fight." Tori raised an eyebrow, a pool of anger bubbling up inside of her. "Don't get me wrong, I really like the guy and my intentions are pure, you liking him means that I have to give my up and I'd hate to go the extra mile if you were just going to roll over like a wounded puppy."

"I should've known..." she facepalmed lightly.

She soon made her way to her bunk sitting against the edge, her brain racked with plans to be more assertive with her intentions. Like Jade, she too had kissed Liam and, somewhat, admitted her feelings for him but nothing major really came from it. Meanwhile, Jade had accomplished spending the night in his dorm and even sleeping with him in his bed. Her cheeks flushed once again from that realization. Within moments, sleep finally began to lay claim to her senses, prompting the girl to curl up under the lone blanket afforded her when she was brought in. She let out a rather soft yawn and succumbed to her body's will, a smile adorning her lips as tomorrow was a new day and with it, new opportunities both with Liam and escaping this hell of a prison.

* * *

The next day, Tori stood in the yard with a worried expression. To her expression, the men weren't outside at the usual time and that was cause for alarm for her and the others.

"Where are they?" she whispered.

"Lockdown." one of the other inmates, a tall and husky woman with a slash along her neck.

She wasn't surprised to see Tori turn around with a look of uncertainty. "Why are the guys on lockdown?" her voice letting out the panic she had hoped to hide.

"Something about a big fight in the mess hall." she spat out a massive loogy before continuing. "From what I hear, one of your friends was involved in a fight with one of the guards for some reason. Some of the other fellas got involved but it was that guy who was taken."

"What are they going to do to him?!" she no longer cared about her distress being heard as she clutched the scarred woman's jumpsuit. "Please tell me."

The woman's face never shifted, but it seemed that her heart was swayed when she shook her head and sighed in resignation.

"Look, if I had to guess, he's probably been tossed in 'The Hole'."

"What's 'The Hole'?" Jade's voice rang in both women's ears, a look of agitation evident in her eyes.

Once the woman managed to pry Tori's grip from her uniform, she turned to the stone faced girl.

"The Hole is located at the farthest end of the prison, south of where we're standing now. It's a place where only the roughest men and women are sent; murderers, rapists, and those who are considered to be too... "spirited". Designed to break even the strongest in mind, only a minimal amount of light is shined inside. The rooms are much smaller than the traditional cells and sometimes, the rooms may already have someone inside, male or female. Since he's had no other offense in here, he'll probably be tossed either in the solitary unit or the Maggot's Nest."

The normally olive tone on Tori's face swiftly shifted to a near pale white, something Jade didn't miss. She signaled Robbie and Ahrya to come over and take her somewhere away but stayed herself. "Tell me about this maggot's nest." he eyes showing little room for debate.

"Fine. You're not going to like the answer."

"Try me." defiance exuding from her very being.

"The maggot's nest is basically one large cell filled with male and female prisoners. Its purpose was to lower the population in here so that they can bring in more people without having to spend more money on things like food and water. Very few who enter there ever leave. If they do survive their time there, they're never the same... keep that in mind."

With that said, Jade watched her informant begin to walk away only to stop abruptly. "Is he your boyfriend or something?" Jade's entire body tensed up but her glare gave her fellow inmate the answer she sought. With amusement dancing behind her eyes, she laughed before resuming her departure over to a card game in progress. The raven haired girl turned in the opposite direction, eyeing the door where the men would normally go through to enter the yard.

"There's no guarantee that it was him..." she chanted to herself.

The sounds of a buzzer caught her attention and soon she would see those very doors open. Her heart was like a pinball machine. Every breath seemed harder than the last while various men made their entrance. She found herself kneeling next to Tori who also had her brown orbs fixated on that spot. Each of them silently prayed that the person taken was someone entirely different.

'Just don't let it be-'

Everyone including an unusually quiet Cat held their breath as Beck suddenly came into view, followed by a dejected Andre. As they approached the fence, it became obvious that their fear was actually happening.

"No..."

* * *

Several days passed without word involving Liam's status. Andre and Beck did fill them in about what led to the fight but made sure to leave out several details that were rather emotionally charged. Each hour that passed was like a lifetime for Jade and Tori who found themselves getting along more often now given their mutual interest. Petty differences be damned, they were going to do what was necessary to survive not just the prison but also their own minds. They found themselves isolated from the group more often than not, content with sharing their personal issues dealing with whatever possibilities that might've befallen the object of their affection.

"So when are you negative Nancy's going to actually focus on the task at hand?" a familiar voice startled the girls. They each looked around but found nobody to match the voice. That is until they noticed a guard with a well-known head of hair.

"Sikowitz?" Jade asked in disbelief.

He lifted his shades, winking at them before resuming his role.

"What are you doing here? How did you get inside of the prison?" Tori asked with more interest in the latter question.

"In no particular order, I got this from a local gift shop outside of the hotel. To answer your first question, I'm here to bust you all out."

While the two were happy and confused at the answers, the feeling soon faded much to their teacher's disdain. "What seems to be the problem?" he inquired in a hushed tone of voice.

"We're missing Liam." Tori tossed a small rock against the ground. "He's apparently in the worst part of the prison right now."

Rubbing his chin, Sikowitz took note of the information given to him. "I see. That is a conundrum if ever I heard one." He continued to pace some distance back and forth so that he didn't draw any attention to himself. "I'll have to modify the plan but we may be able to still make things work without too many changes."

"What did you have in mind?" Jade crossed her arms, determined to do whatever it took to get out of this hell hole.

"I'll have to get some more intel about this place before we proceed but just know that the plan won't go down unless we all can get out together. I'll need you two to get as much information as you can and we'll rendezvous back here in a few more days."

Both nodded before resuming their talk.

"What are you thinking, Tori?" Jade narrowed her eyes.

Unrecognizable. That was the only word that could describe the girl who began drawing in the dirt.

"We're getting out of here, Jade." he voice held a darkness otherwise unheard of before. "We're getting out of Yerba."

* * *

 **I want to apologize for the relatively short chapter but I wanted to touch on some details of this new arc. First, the events of Locked Up are just the beginning of this arc. I plan on this arc pushing onward throughout the fictional country. I really just want to get as much of the prison portions out of the way so that I can actually get started on the real direction of the story. Certain subjects will be brought up in the upcoming chapters such as darker themes involving blood and gore so I'm saying this now, that this story is labeled as M despite being in the T section.**

 **I hope you all enjoy this and look for the next chapter very soon. Love you guys and be safe!**


	14. Chapter 11

**Alright, so this is a short chapter and I apologize for the delay. I've had a series of bad events hit me and I just felt so low. I graciously thank you for your patience. As a show of gratitude, I'm already working on the next chapter that will then conclude the Yerba storyline. After I tried multiple ways of establishing it as its own arc, nothing seemed to add anything sufficient to the story like I'd hoped it would. Therefore, I will be counting the events in Yerba as the end of the first arc and start the next on after chapter 12. Without giving too many details, the second arc will basically be like the second season of the Victorious. Most importantly, Trina will be returning in that arc, though not right away.**

 **Okay I believe that's everything so without further ado, here is Chapter eleven of Demons Within.**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 11: Eye of the Abyss**

Nearly two weeks had passed, every day becoming more and more hectic than the last. For starters, the gang had to endure this much time still under the boot of the Yerba prison system. The food, the conditions, none of these things compared to the things that went on after lights out. Tori and the others found that avoiding the guards during the day meant they were safe from any extracurriculars during the night. Secondly, Tori and Jade had done their best to keep themselves together while secretly working with the undercover guard in Mr. Sikowitz on an escape plan. To say they were stressed would be an insult to the girls.

Every day, they would ask Beck and Andre about Liam's condition only to see the same look of disappointment on their faces each time.

Today seemed to be no different as the women made their way to the exercise yard. The scorching hot sun's rays, a perfect contrast to the near dark tunnel they were leaving, nearly blinded the women, and Robbie.

"Grrrr... It's too early for it to be this hot!" Jade growled, more from frustration than anger. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."

Though typically the positive one, even Tori had to silently agree with her. If it wasn't mandatory, she would've volunteered to stay in her cell until it was time to eat again. Instead, she was outside in the sweltering heat trying not to die from being over cooked. Her eyes looked around the area of the yard, noting that there were no men on the other side. Usually, the men would unleash their daily series of catcalls and wolf whistles. Instead, she was greeted by one lone figure who was sitting against the gate.

"What are you staring at?" Jade's voice pulled the girl from her thoughts. "Tori, are you okay?" Instead of speaking, a weirded out Jade watched as Tori merely pointed. Following along, she too just watched silently as tears immediately began to form along the corner of her eyes. She didn't believe it. She couldn't believe that the lone man on the other side of that chain linked fence was him. There had to be some logical explanation for her seeing him.

The heat. Hunger. Her mind playing tricks on her. Anything was better than the reality that was hitting her.

"Liam?" she whispered; she didn't trust her voice right now.

To her surprise, Tori started to make her way to him. Unlike Jade, who appeared to be frozen in place, Tori knew it was him. His hair, his frame, that scar... That large scar adorning his back was all she needed as proof. She made it halfway there when she suddenly felt a pair of hands pulling her back. Try as she may, she couldn't break the grip of the guards on her. Kicking and screaming, she looked back at the still seated young man.

"LIAM!" she screamed out to him hysterically.

Ignoring the warnings of the men, she persisted in her attempts to reach him. Running as fast as her legs would carry her, she darted for the large fence, hoping to either scale it or at least snap the boy out of his stupor. Then, out of nowhere, she watched in horror as a single guard was approaching her beloved. She did her best to call out to him again, hoping to get him to run or fight back only to find herself unable to say anything as no words came out. More guards soon swarmed the girl pulling her away as she watched a guard wielding a machete, helpless to aid the broken form of her friend and crush. Tears rained down on the dusty ground, her soul pouring out agony and desperation while the man raised the rusty weapon high above his head.

The world seemed to crash down on Tori as soon her surroundings shifted to the dim hallways of the prison. As the doors began to close, she could see him turn around, a defeated smile on his face just as the guard swung downward. With one last attempt, Tori summoned all of the air she could hold, letting out a ferocious shriek. "LIAM!" but, just as the blade came down, the doors shut, plunging Tori Vega in pitch black darkness.

"Tori!" a voice snapped the poor girl out of her terror filled thoughts as she shot up in her bunk. The voice in question was none other than her cellmate, Jade who was eyeing her with a legitimate gaze of concern.

"Jade?! Where is he?!" her grip on her friend's jumpsuit was iron tight. Tears stinging her eyes, Tori was on the verge of a breakdown. Fortunately, the Goth pulled her into a tight hug, rubbing the Latina's back while doing her best to keep her calm. The sounds of sobbing were enough to break even Jade's typically cold heart but she remained strong for Tori's sake.

"He's still in that place..." she whispered. "...but things will get better. I promise."

For Tori, she hoped that the girl was right.

* * *

After lunch, Tori and the others met at their usual spot on the prison yard, a mixture of dejection and irritation surrounding them. Sikowitz came by as often as he could without drawing suspicion from the other guards in order to check up on the progress of his students. Over the long stretch of time, it was growing more likely that the worse could have happened to Liam. There was no word on any transfers of prisoners lately as another scorching day passed by. Tori and Jade sat in their usual spot, away from everyone else as usual. Neither really said much to the other, just their typical silence and the occasional exchange of looks.

Going through the motions, their mental solitude was shattered when the sounds of various voices, no doubt the Yerba guards, and the sound of a rattling fence filled their ears. Jade, though not without a moment of hesitation, stood from her spot behind the bleacher to see what was going on. Tori instead chose to remain where she was, content with staring at the random patches of grass that managed to survive the heat.

"Tori!" the Goth's voice piped up. "You gotta come quick!"

Hearing how frantic the girl's tone suggested, she groaned but obliged to follow her back to the main area of the yard.

"Jade, what is so important that-" she looked up, defeat in her eyes slowly fading. Her jaw dropped as her heart pounded against her ribs at the visual before her. Her mind was blank at the figure that lay slumped against the fence. It was just like her nightmare only... the guards were leaving? "L-Liam?" she started for him only to have Jade grab her arm. Tori wanted nothing more than to pull away from the near iron grip her friend had on her.

On the other side, Liam was indeed there before them but there was one guard who turned around. This was literally deja vu as he had a sharp weapon, ready to bring it down on the defenseless boy. Even with all of her strength, Tori just couldn't rip herself from Jade who now had her arms wrapped around her body. Various sounds and voices filled the air none of which were heard by the boy who slowly looked up at the blade coming down upon him; a small grin on his face.

Then, something happened.

Everyone saw that the blade, now identified as a rusty machete, stopped just short of splitting Liam's head in two. Tori, Jade, and the other prisoners watched in amazement as the teen's grin contorted into a crude smile. The enraged guard snarled at him once more and turned to leave, but not before leaving one lasting impression: A cold slap to the face... As his gloved hand made contact with his face, he was surprised even more at how the boy's smile never dropped.

"Impudent wretch!" he yelled before being ushered away by his fellow guards. Underneath his hair, Liam turned towards the departing soldier, his eyes never leaving the arrogant man with the patchy beard. He knew him quite well and it was obviously not in a positive manner.

Only once all of the men had left and the doors shut to the men's side of the prison was Tori allowed to rush over to her friend and crush. Jade was not too far behind her, still shocked at what had transpired. Had she not seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed any who thought it good to tell her. Soon, Liam would find himself surrounded by his friends and classmates but it was something else that would snap him out of his vengeful glare.

"Liam?"

Tori's soft voice seemed to soothe his soul as his body began to loosen up. Looking around, he finally noticed that everyone was around him, concern written across their faces. "Guys?" he whispered. "What's up?" he appeared creeped out by the many eyes glued to him.

"What happened to you, man?!" Andre was the first to speak up.

"I was just taken somewhere else as punishment for that fight I got into." he turned to see Cat and Ahrya behind him. "Guy's, relax. You make it like it was a big deal or something." Trying to sound disinterested, he was unaware of the various emotions around him.

Without warning, a solid punch at the gate near the back of his head knocked him forward. Clutching his skull, he turned to find the dark glare of none other than Jade directed at him. Normally prone to cowarding from her when she got like this, he instead chose to avert his gaze at the dusty ground. Though she wanted to wrap her hands around his neck and shake him violently, she settled on that before storming off to her usual place of solitude. While he retained his poker face, he knew that he was going to have to have a talk with her about this very soon.

"Great..." he muttered to himself.

"You've been gone for a few weeks and she's been worried about you." Beck caught his attention. "Can you really blame her reaction just now?"

Shaking his head, Liam knew the boy had a valid point which only served to make him feel even more guilty than before.

Soon, everyone asked him questions about what happened. Cat asked the obvious 'what led to him being moved?' but, aside from him repeating the vague answer of being punished for fighting, no one got any further information. Robbie and Ahrya were curious about the place simply known as the Maggot's Nest only to be met with a broad description of it being similar to their current location, only with more vicious characters and no restrictions. Seeing his uneasiness, the others decided not to press the situation.

With the Q&A session over, Liam turned to find Tori still there, looking at him with those hazel brown eyes that could melt the polar ice caps. With the hot sun beating down on them both, neither made a move. The two just spent their time just gazing at the other, actions that neither wanted to end. Their silent conversation continued until the call of horn signaled them to return to their cells.

She watched as Liam dragged himself to his feet, noticing him staggering a bit in the process.

"Liam," he voice cracked a little in the midst of her worry. "are you alright?"

He clutched the fence just to keep himself from falling flat on his face. "Never better." his voice was slightly raspy.

Once he regained his bearings, he thought it was as good a time to start walking back to his cell, but something grasping his prison sleeve; even with that, he could still recognize the familiar warmth. "Don't lie to me, please?" He refused to look at her. Liam wasn't an idiot, he knew exactly looking into those chocolate pools would do to him. It would wash away the flames licking at his soul currently. He would lose his resolve and return to way he was before that day.

Before he was taken to the Maggot's Nest...

His eyes darkened at the thought of what he'd witnessed inside that pit of demons. A cornucopia of emotions waged war inside of him as he struggled to simply give the girl an answer. He could lie to her again. He could snatch away from her and tell her it was none of her business. So many options flashed in his mind in a matter of seconds but, he knew he wouldn't say or do anything that could wind up costing his connection with Tori.

"I'll tell you after we get out of this place." he managed to find his voice again. "I promise you that."

Though it wasn't what she wanted to hear, Tori released her grip, content with the pledge made to her for now. "Okay." It was all that she could think of until she noticed that most of the women were nearly gone, including Jade. Swallowing what little saliva she had, she inhaled softly. "Liam, I lo-."

"I'll see you tomorrow..."

Dejected, she made her way to the main door, stealing glances at the boy's back. She wasn't dumb, but she wouldn't push the situation this close to him being back around them all again. Entering the smelly building, she began to wonder if she would ever get the opportunity to truly express herself as she turned into her cell, greeted by the now aloof gothic bunkmate.

'We have to get out of here' she groaned.

* * *

A few more days passed and things were beginning to settle down with only a few differences. For starters, Liam had earned a huge measure of respect (and to a greater extent, fear) though he didn't care for that. Considering the reputation of the Maggot's Nest, he was revered by the other inmates for not only surviving but also returning relatively unscathed. Using this to his advantage, he was able to get some privacy and kept Andre and Beck safe from the more shady characters. Meeting up in the cafeteria, they each gathered their food and sat at their usual table near the main exit.

As they ate their food, Andre scoped out the area to ensure nobody was listening in, particularly any of the guards.

"Alright, so what's this plan Sikowitz has?" Liam whispered midway into biting his cow liver sandwich that he made out of some day old stale bread.

Beck, who was struggling to keep his own food down, placed his spoon into the gray lump that he thought was supposed to be oatmeal. "Yuck." he groaned as his stomach growled. "Apparently, Tori is supposed to talk to the Chancellor about conducting a special performance to make up for what happened to his eye and pet octopus."

The three shuddered as images of the poor cephalopod being shocked to death thanks to Robbie flashed in their minds. After a few moments passed, they resumed their breakfast discussion. "So, how does that work towards escaping?"

Now it was Andre's turn to chime in. "We'll be doing the performance in the yard with some of the other prisoners." This caused Liam to raise a questionable eyebrow at the brown skin boy. "Relax, we got enough who were willing to help us out with this. After we finish the song, we'll mix in with the others and sneak out through the entryway of the men's side of the prison. Sikowitz will be waiting for us in a truck that'll take us to the airport."

Contemplating everything he was just told, Liam analyzed each detail of the plan.

"It sounds like a good idea," he noted before taking another bite of the sandwich, much to the disgruntled boy's disdain. "But what about the guards that are stationed inside the halls?" Beck and Andre looked blankly at one another. "Okay, from what I know, there are three corridors once you get to the far end of the building. One of them leads down the way we came in and one is most certainly the exit to this hell hole." Liam cut his eyes to the left, noticing a small group of skinny men watching them with unsettling grins on their faces. Glaring at them, the trio quickly shifted their attention elsewhere.

"We'll have to be careful but the third hall leads to the Maggot's Nest." The two stared in wide-eyed terror as a nonchalant Liam simply finished his meal. "I'd rather not drag you guys there... We definitely can't head down the way we came in unless you want to get grabbed by the men stationed there. So, we'll have to pay extra attention to details on our way back to the cells.

Nodding, they all decided to direct the conversation towards a more pleasant path as they did their best to ingest the horrid food.


	15. Chapter 12

**As promised, here is chapter 12 of Demons Within and the conclusion to the Yerba mini-saga. There will be dark themes, of course, but it will still be (hopefully) entertaining to you all. I really put a lot of work into this chapter as it is the final chapter of the first arc. The second story arc will begin in either New York or Los Angeles (I haven't decided yet) and will include the return of Trina officially, in due time. Certain things will be mentioned and others were left out on purpose for the sake of the story direction.**

 **Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you enjoy this chapter of Demons Within.**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 12: Escape from Yerba!**

 **"Oh baby, I need just one more chance to tell you that I love you!"**

Nailing the kick that got her in trouble in the first place, Tori and the others began to blend in with the dancing convicts until they were all behind the curtain. For the most part, the performance had been a success given the last show they did. With no further mishaps, everyone allowed themselves a sigh of relief from the number they'd just performed.

"Alright! Let's hear it for Tori Veega and the kids from Hollywood Arts!" The fanfare played and the small crowd clapped for the performers as the various inmates separated so that the spotlight could shine on the curtain. The only issue? Nobody came out to take a bow. The Announcer (aka Festus' brother) let out a nervous chuckle while pointing at the spot once more. "Um... the kids from Hollywood Arts!"

Again, no one came out.

The blinded Chancellor wondered what was going on as his advisor and general whispered to him. Everyone exchanged looks of confusion as they murmured to one another about the teen's whereabouts. Their inquisitions would be taken care of when a lone guard rushed past the makeshift stage curtain. "The prisoners are not here!" he yelled. The leader of Yerba stood up, furiously ordering his men to recapture them immediately.

"Do not let them leave this island!" he yelled before tripping over his own feet and falling onto the ground below.

* * *

Deep in the prison, Liam led his friends down the dimly lit hall, ignoring the cries of the other men still behind bars.

"How much time do we have before they notice we're gone?" Robbie asked as they cut down another hallway. His answer came in the form of an alarm blaring throughout the building. "Nevermind..." he groaned.

"Way to jinx things, Shapiro." Jade was obviously annoyed still from the past day and Robbie wasn't making things any better for her nerves. "Now where are we going?" she complained.

"The exit should be around the next corner." Liam huffed. As the kids ventured further, various voices could be heard behind them.

"Hurry up men! They couldn't have gotten too far!"

"Shit." he gritted his teeth. He didn't expect the guards to catch up so quickly. He wasn't going to let himself, or anyone else, be taken back to those filthy cells. The alarms continued while the group found themselves at a fork in the road. "What the hell?" he whispered in disbelief. He didn't know that there was another path before reaching the designated spot. Racking his brain, he tried to figure out which direction was the right one. "Damn it..."

"What's wrong?" Cat asked rather innocently.

"When they took me to that place, I only remember there being one hallway..."

It was clear to everyone that Liam was growing more and more frustrated by the second, evident by him punching the wall. Beck, of all people, placed an encouraging hand on the boy's shoulder. "Look, we all knew the risks of trying this out. Don't beat yourself up..."

Guilt-ridden, Liam took a deep breath and focused his mind on the task at hand.

"I suggest we split up." a voice called out, surprising everyone. Turning around they found it to be none other than Jade.

"Come on." Andre tried to reason. "This isn't Scooby Doo, Jade. Splitting up is the last thing we need to do."

Crossing her arms, the Goth stepped to him. "Listen, we have guards on our asses and we're running out of options here. So, unless you want to take a chance with the wonderful boys hunting us like dogs, I suggest you pick some partners and start heading down that corridor." She pointed to the left hall.

"Wait! Don't I get to choose what direction-?" Jade's glare sent a chill that he could've sworn would freeze his spine solid if he didn't leave right now. "Alright, um... Robbie, you take Ahrya! I'll take Cat and we'll head down this way!" The lanky boy nodded without hesitation for fear of inciting the wrath of Jade West upon himself. Soon they headed down the corridor until the four were no longer in sight.

This left Tori, Beck, Jade, and Liam to take the unknown way. Rushing off, they did their best to put as much distance between them and the guards. Various winding turns brought with them headaches and impatience, of which there were plenty. Liam had the others stop while he peeked around the corner with caution. Somehow, he knew how to properly act in this scenario, almost as if he had been trained. With Tori and Jade in the middle, Beck kept a close eye for any guards.

"I really think this is a bad idea..." Liam off, they did their best to put as much distance between them and the guards. Various winding turns brought with them headaches and impatience, of which there were plenty. Liam had the others stop while he peeked around the corner with caution. Somehow, he knew how to properly act in this scenario, almost as if he had been trained. With Tori and Jade in the middle, Beck kept a close eye for any guards.

Catching him off guard, Jade began running past him. "It's a good thing that I didn't ask for your thoughts!" Rushing off behind her, the trio did their best to put as much distance between them and the guards. Various winding turns brought with them headaches and impatience, of which there were plenty. Liam had the others stop while he peeked around the corner with caution. Somehow, he knew how to properly act in this scenario, almost as if he had been trained. With Tori and Jade in the middle, Beck kept a close eye for any guards.

"Alright, if we get past this room, we can make it to the infirmary..."

Jade looked at him, shocked at his sudden knowledge of his surroundings. "I thought you said you didn't remember which way you went? How do you know that this leads to the infirmary?" she whispered harshly.

Turning to the pale skinned girl, his lips curled into a smug grin. "I don't. I just know how to read and decipher." pointing behind him, Jade followed his finger to see a sign that read Enfermaria (Portuguese for Infirmary) with an arrow facing the aforementioned route. Try as she may, the girl with the raven colored hair couldn't help but smile at his comeback, a sign that the tension the day before wasn't as thick as first thought to be. Liam returned his attention back to the corner, eyes on a single nurse who appeared to be sleeping from a suspected long day of treating prisoners and guards alike. It was impressive that she hadn't moved even with the blaring noise echoing throughout. Motioning to the three, he tiptoed past the unconscious woman, the others following suit.

* * *

Andre and the others ventured through various hallways, stopping only to catch their breaths or to give themselves some time to think. Risky as it was, they managed to avoid being spotted thus far, a fact that Andre truly relished. They were currently holed up in one of the 'therapy rooms' with Robbie keeping an ear to the door. The room itself was nothing special really, just a cushioned chair, an old and busted couch, no doubt for the patient to lie on, and a half filled book shelf. In the far right corner stood a traditional wooden desk for whoever was the therapist. A few posters depicting There was a large window, that gave them a clear view of the back of the facility where an old, dusty pickup truck sat in wait.

"That's got to be Sikowitz!" Ahrya exclaimed with glee. Sure enough, the man happened to be standing out of the vehicle, scouring the area for his beloved students. Lightly tapping on the window pane, Ahrya and Cat did their best to get the wacky teacher's attention but to no avail. There had to be another way. Ahrya checked for any other method of getting him to notice them when the red haired girl happened to open one of the windows wide enough.

"Sikowitz!" she yelled out much to everyone's worry.

At the exact moment that he turned to see the locks that resembled red velvet cupcakes, Robbie could hear the sound of boots stomping closer to their location. Instinctively, they all scrambled to find a hiding spot with Andre grabbing and pulling Cat behind the couch. Covering her mouth, he spotted Robbie and Ahrya ducking underneath the large desk just as the door opened. Fear gripped each one of them as two guards entered while the others pressed on. This was just like a nightmare, only there was no waking up. He felt himself looking at an equally scared Cat Valentine who was trying hard not to break out into a sob. While she acted ditzy, there was a great measure of intelligence behind the bouncy girl.

One of the guards looked over at the opened window, signaling his partner to alert the team of this realization. "Hurry, and tell the Chancellor that they may be in the jungle. I'll finish up here..." The man saluted and rushed off.

The odds seemed to be favoring them as one lone guard was much better than taking on both of them. Robbie watched the shadow of the departing Yerba soldier begin to shrink as his footsteps grew fainter each second that passed. With a silent sigh, he once again patrolled the only man inside the room, weighing his options heavily. Across from the couple, Andre and Cat could hear the man walking close to their hiding spot. It was like a scene from a horror movie where the serial killer would stalk their victims in a way that made you believe that they would literally feed off of their terror.

Each step only made Cat want to cry, but only a slight whimper escaped as Andre kept his eyes on the now growing figure of the man approaching their direction. What could he do? He WAS skilled in martial arts but what good would that be against guns? Everything about being in prison only seemed to bring out more of Andre's scary side and now he and Cat were cornered. Sparing one more glance at the teary eyed Cat, Andre felt his heart practically trying to break his ribs clean in two. He remembered his uncle's words about every man having a 'moment of truth' and when that moment came, he would have to make an important choice. Either he would take control of his fear, or he would let fear rule him...

With Cat's fate in the balance, he knew what his decision would be.

The man soon arrived at the couch, a wicked grin forming on his face like the cat that caught the canary. But, as he began to peer over the edge, the door slammed behind him, drawing his gaze to it. Sensing that was a distraction for his benefit, Andre found himself leaping over the therapy couch and locking the man in a choke hold. Robbie remained hidden for a little longer as Andre tried to tighten the rear naked choke around the panicking man's neck. Flailing and gasping for any air he could receive, the guard managed to ram the teen into the bookcase. The first hit, while dazing Andre, did little to lighten up on his opponent. Desperation filled the man's head as he rushed into it again, succeeding at least getting some space to breathe a bit. It was the third hit to the spine that forced African-American to release his arms, plopping to the hardwood floor.

The now red faced man turned to him, pointing his gun square at Andre's head. "The Chancellor said to bring you back but," his smile was like the Cheshire cat, revealing his dirty teeth. "he never said to bring you alive."

Suddenly a sharp pain could be felt as he felt a foot connect with his groin. No sound came out as he slowly dropped to the floor, clutching his nether region for dear life while trying to catch the limited air he'd been graced with earlier. Andre looked up from his prone position to see Robbie Shapiro with a smug grin on his lips. Behind him, Ahrya was checking on Cat, helping to keep her calm.

"Thanks, Rob." he smiled warmly. "I owe you one."

"Nah, I just did what needed to be done." he extended a hand to assist his friend. "You would've done the same thing for me."

Before he could answer, the groans of the defeated guard rang in their ears; they turned to find him weak and reaching for his weapon only to get a swift kick to the skull, courtesy of one Cat Valentine. Astonished at the sudden act, neither expected for her to be the one to commit such an act.

"Wow, where did that come from?" Robbie's jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

As if a 180-degree turn had occurred, Cat's angry face turned to one of childlike guilt. "He was about to kill you two. That's not nice..."

"Nice or not, we need to get out of here before his buddies return." Ahrya duly noted. With the others in agreement, the boys helped the ladies out of the window into the soft wild grass below. Sikowitz helped them up as the boys followed suit.

"Glad to see you guys made it but," Sikowitz looked over at the room they'd just left. "Where are the rest of my students?"

"They suggested we split up... Liam, Tori, Beck, and Jade went in the opposite direction." Robbie answered but found the coconut lover to be in deep thought. "What's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, not at all... Let's get you guys in the truck." he ushered to the still running vehicle. Once they were all loaded up inside, he sped away from the horrible prison. Thoughts of his other students flashed before his eyes. 'So he's going through with the plan B... Lord have mercy.' he mentally began to pray, not paying attention to the various questions being asked by Robbie Shapiro. In the bed of the truck, Andre lied down with Cat lying against his frame. He never noticed it before but

In the bed of the truck, Andre had lied down with Cat lying against his frame. He never noticed it before but, the more he looked at the calming form of Cat, the more he could see how beautiful she was. Her cheerful disposition, though annoying at times, was a quirk that brought a smile to his face. Her red hair was like strands of fiery silk, while a playful shade, also represented her innocence to the pains of the world. His mind traveled to the many times where she would tell a story about her older brother, realizing only now that he'd not only remembered the stories in and of themselves but also crucial details. That didn't sound like him to do something like that... Several minutes passed with the wind and Cat pulled herself closer to the musician for warmth. Reaching down next to them, he managed to pull a rather dingy looking sheet but did his best to drape it over her along with his arms wrapping around her petite form.

Unseen by him was the soft smile that now rested on her face.

"Who knows?" he whispered into the night as he and the others disappeared into the jungle.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Beck asked, his voice hushed so he wouldn't alert anybody. He and Jade made sure to lock and barricade the door behind them. "What are we doing in here anyway?"

It seemed that Jade and Tori were wondering the same thing as they turned to a Liam. Watching him closely, Tori was the first to put the equation together. Her hypothesis was proven valid when she noticed the boy staggering around before dropping to a knee. As they rushed to his aid, Tori began to pull off the prison orange finding severe injuries all over his body. Deep lacerations adorned his back and sides. The dried blood happened to seal the wounds up but with the horrible conditions of the prison, it was evident that he was going to need some medical attention in the near future.

"You needed to be treated first, didn't you?" her voice was soft as a feather, tickling his ears.

With a debilitated laugh, Liam turned to face the concerned face of Tori Vega. "Guess I can't hide anything from you either. Yeah, they did a number on me down there," he admitted before inhaling strongly. "I just need to get bandaged up so we can get out of here."

"You idiot." Jade casually scolded. "How many times have we told you that you don't have to be some big macho man to impress us. That ship has sailed a long time ago."

Bewildered, he gazed at the incoming Goth. In the meantime, Beck and Tori began to collecting bandages and any disinfectant they could find. "What are you getting at?"

Jade indifferently rolled her eyes at the puzzled boy, amused at how clueless he could be sometimes. It also seemed to be perfect timing as Tori began wiping and wrapping his wounds the best way she could. "Vega's in love with you too, dunce..."

If looks could represent a book, Tori's face would be the Titanic as she felt like she'd just crashed against an iceberg; an iceberg named Jade West. The only one who didn't react was Beck who now was on watch duty while Liam got patched up. The teen looked over at his nurse who was now flushed with embarrassment. While he knew that she liked him, the time span since then had led him to believe that she wasn't ready, or willing to cross that line. While Jade had been, admittedly, aggressive in her approach, Tori appeared have abandoned her pursuit.

"Is that true, Tori?" despite the constant grunting from the tightness of the bandages, his tone remained gentle.

She refused to look him in the eyes, choosing instead to continue focusing on sealing the wounds. She did nod her head, however, a gesture that made his heart skip a beat. If they were back home in Los Angeles, Jade would've made a smart remark about how cliche' they were acting right now but decided to let them have their moment as she joined her ex-boyfriend in watching guards, befuddled at how not a single one had thought to check in this room.

Soon, Tori finished cleaning and patching the cuts and wounds, tossing the remaining items to the side. Liam was still stunned by the revelation made by Jade.

"Tori," he whispered to her while lifting her chin delicately. "you don't have to be embarrassed, alright? When we get out of here, you and I will talk about this one on one."

Tori nodded, still a bit upset at Jade for spilling the beans, but it was comforting to know that Liam was actually willing, and seemingly eager to discuss things with her in private. She tucked her hair behind her left ear and permitted a small smile to show just as he pulled her into a light hug, given his injuries.

"Great, now that the love fests over, can we get a move on?"

"Sure, let's go through this door and we should be close to the south exit of the prison." Liam pulled himself up, Tori aiding him. "That's where the armory is."

"Let me guess, you read that too?" Jade smirked.

"No, I overheard one of the guards talking about it a while ago." he smiled sheepishly.

Fighting the urge to strangle him, the pale skinned girl rubbed her temples before flashing an intense glare at the poor boy. Both knew that they were going to have their own private discussion, one that, most likely wouldn't go as well as his proposed meeting with Tori.

"Let's go, guys!" Beck called out, noticing a small band of guards arriving. "We've got company."

Happy to oblige, the four made their way through the back door towards the armory and their freedom. Even though he was practically injured, Liam led the way, thankful that there were no other paths that would potentially mess everything up. Knowing that the girls, and even Beck, would be safely away from this place was more than enough motivation for him to ignore the pain and continue.

Though it was a long hallway, he remained focused, even when a few of the Chancellor's elite men appeared to block their escape. Gritting his teeth, he used his momentum to slide past the first two, tripping them up via grabbing their ankles. The third man tried to grab him, but a well-timed foot to the gut put a stop to that plan. Following up with a knee to the solar-plex, he finished the pathetic excuse of a man with a solid right hook that forced his body to twist before landing on the dirty floor with a sickening thud.

"Let's go!" he called out to the others as he passed through the doors.

Against her earlier protest, Jade and Tori both followed behind, highly impressed with their crush while Beck maintained a tiny measure of fear at the sheer power that he possessed. He knew that a one on one fight was out of the question without further training but that was proof that, maybe having him as a neutral party was better than having him as an enemy. Once everyone passed through the doors, they found Liam standing straight up, with fists clenched tightly. As they wondered what would cause him to just stand there like a stiff board, their eyes fell on a single man, one last guard under the Chancellor's command.

Unlike the ones they'd previously encountered, he wasn't wearing a traditional uniform, he wore a bullet proof vest and custom military pants tucked into army issued boots. He wore an eye patch over his right eye with a stubble of a beard. While Jade and Tori looked on, clueless to his identity, Beck and Liam knew exactly who he was.

"Igor Rojevich..." the latter called out. "the Butcher of Yerba."

"Ah, I see you remember me?" he feigned flattery. "I'm touched. Then again, I don't you could forget me knowing where those wounds came from."

Tori gasped while Jade bit the inside of her jaw.

"True, you did do this to me before throwing me in the Maggot's Nest," he admitted, his face never changed though. "But I remember you for another reason entirely."

Igor raised his eyebrows in uncertainty, that is until his eyes settled on the young woman behind him, Tori. His lecherous gaze surely unnerved her, knowing that he was practically undressing her with his eye. Licking his lips like a wild animal, he grinned at the teen standing before him. It was then that she began to understand who he was. He was the one in her dream that looked to kill Liam. She remembered seeing him yesterday but, he wasn't wearing an eye patch then.

"I see, so you've chosen to defend her honor by seeking me out?" his laugh was as chilling as a room filled with spiders and scorpions. "An admirable, but foolish move. You see, I heard that your other comrades managed to escape the prison. I expected you to join them in their liberation and yet, fate smiles on me tonight. I will bring the Chancellor your lifeless carcass and take your friends back to their cells." The man then turned his attention once more to the three behind Liam. "Don't bother running children. I rigged that door with explosives long before you entered. Opening it again would set it off." he flashed a deranged smile while imitating a bomb going off.

"Good luck..." Liam coldly responded. "...I'm going to beat you to a pulp," he growled.

A hand on his shoulder took his focus for a second. "You're not going in alone." Beck grinned confidently. "I owe him a few knots myself."

He wanted to say no, to tell Beck to watch over the girls and try to find a way past Igor while he held him off. But he noticed something that changed his mind. Behind Beck's eyes lied the need for redemption, forgiveness. Somehow, he felt it necessary to join in this battle. Igor was equally surprised to see the fluffy haired boy standing up to be chopped down.

"That changes things then," Beck and Liam eyed him questionable looks. "after I kill you two, I'll take your little girls and show them what a real man feels like."

Frustration.

Anger.

Wrath.

Rage.

Fury.

All these things and more fueled their fire as they both charged at him. No more talking; no words were needed now as they attacked the one eyed man with a smoldering hatred. This would prove to be an advantage for Igor as he expertly dodged their high-low combination. Spinning in between the joint attacks, the soldier launched a flying kick to Beck's sternum knocking him back several feet.

"You alright?!" Liam called out but failed to catch the spinning roundhouse kick to his jaw. Careening into some of the crates full of guns, he felt like every inch of his upper body was being stabbed with knives due to his wounds.

Igor frowned at the sight before him; his victim crawling from the wreckage. "What a letdown... I thought you came to fight me? I guess you came all this way just to die, eh?" his wicked chuckle was more than adequate in making both girl's skins crawl. That's what he enjoyed, the pain and fear of others. It was like a drug to him which is why he agreed to work behind the walls of the prison. He savored the horror in the prisoner's eyes when they were informed that they were going to him for 'rehabilitation'. Their screams of pain, whether mental, sexual, or psychological, it was all the same to him.

In the midst of his reminiscing, he failed to notice the straight left connect with his jaw. While it didn't knock him down, it was sufficient in staggering him. Beck swiftly took up a traditional boxer's stance while remaining near Liam, who finally seemed to have gathered his second wind. Igor wiped his chin of the dirt from Beck's prison shoes, grinning the entire time.

"I'm impressed." he spits out a drop of blood. "I didn't think you'd have the cojones to attempt a cheap shot."

"Whatever it takes to take out a monster like you." he bounced on his toes.

Liam, having regained his composure, whispered something in the boy's ears. Igor decided not to take any chances and charged at them this time, pulling out a sickle shaped blade from his vest. "Time to die!" he cried in insane delight. At that moment, Jade and Tori watched as Beck and Liam began to work as a tandem. Beck popped in front of the injured boy throwing straight punches that were nearly unreadable to the crazed man. Throwing the blows at blinding speeds, Igor the Butcher had put all of his focus on defense and dodging. Observing how he was unable to even counter, Beck ducked, allowing Liam to flip over him and land a flush kick directly in Igor's face. The resulting blow forced Igor to fly backward, dropping his sickle in the process.

"Good combo, guys!/Not Bad" Tori and Jade cheered respectively.

Beck huffed as sweat poured down his face like bullets as he leaned against Liam for support.

"That took a lot out of me," he admitted, his breath haggard and short. "Hope that took him out."

Liam chuckled. "I don't know Beck, we're talking about a sadistic masochist here."

Frowning, the boy once compared to Aladdin replied with a playful punch to the shoulder. Come on, you kicked him square in the face. I could swear that I saw his skull cave in. You don't give yourself enough- Oof!"

A swift kick to the chest of Beck was enough to have him sliding along the dirt ground. The blow knocked what little energy he had left as the excruciating pain mixed with exhaustion guided him into semi-consciousness. Liam watched in amazement and horror. He threw a punch that was easily countered into an uppercut to his stomach that drove all the air out of him. Feeling like he was being thrown, it was, in fact, Igor's punch lifting him in the air following up with several more strikes. Each blow seemingly overkills as he was out of it after the initial attack. Igor didn't care, his face disfigured from the force of the kick earlier.

"Don't get cocky, you brat!" he slammed the teen onto the ground. "You got off a few good shots, but it ends now!"

His eyes, filled with insanity, eyed his target. The sight of the boy's blood brought a sickening glee inside of him as he fired a soccer kick to his ribs, surely cracking one. Rolling along the floor, Liam's older wounds began to open again, staining the formerly white bandages, Jade and Tori forced to watch all of this unfold helplessly. The only one capable of fighting this creep would be Jade but, without her scissors, she was defenseless. Azure and Honey Brown witnessed this monster repeatedly kicking Liam, his cries of pain and suffering driving them mad. It wasn't until he was coughing up blood that Tori shrieked.

This stopped Igor...

Her cry of terror caught his ears like a fox sensing its prey.

"That sound," his head turning eerily slow in her direction. "that glorious sound..." His pupils dilate before he trudged his way at them. "I want to hear it again, and again!" He was twisted and demented as his smile now looked as if it would split his face. "I need to hear it again.." he maniacally pleaded.

"Stay back!" Jade, whether through bravery or lunacy, stepped between his prize. Arms outstretched, she didn't want this freak getting his hands on Tori. It would prove all for naught as he backhanded her out of his way, leaving him and the reason all of this got started.

"Get away from her..." a rather feeble voice broke Igor's concentration on the cowering brunette before him. The smell of fear literally filling his nostrils, calling to him even. But, he knew that he could never savor his reward unless all the loose ends were cut. Hissing in annoyance, he turned around to find Liam, a bloody mess, clutching his newly injured ribs. Sighing in frustration, the first sign of sanity, the Butcher trekked to the unsteady boy, partly enjoying the sanguine liquid dripping from multiple places on his body. "You won't have her..." he coughed. "...I- I won't let you.." It was clear that his words of heroism were merely just that, words. Almost instantly, he fell to one knee, groaning in pain. With his vision blurry, he could barely make out the combat boots.

"While I would love nothing more than to finish you off right now," the one-eyed man frowned in legitimate pity. "I have a little girl to make squeal like a pig. So do me a favor, kid. Be a good little boy, and wait your tu-!"

Something was wrong.

Igor saw blood flying but there was something else added to it.

Pain.

Excruciating pain.

The sight and feeling all matched up as he clutched his belly. A massive amount of plasma poured out like a leaking faucet. Beck and Jade managed to slowly regain consciousness just after the action was committed. Liam struck a killing blow on the crazed torture fanatic.

"I *cough* meant what I *cough* said..." his tone was lower than normal, almost like a demonic force than that of a human. The light behind his eyes, faded out as he stared at the now kneeling creature before him, still clutching at his sliced stomach. "I swore to you that if you got anywhere near her, I'd kill you." Now it was Igor's turn to taste the flavor of fear, to feel the hand of terror grip at his heart as his life was left in the hands of someone else.

"Y- you don't have it in you, boy..." he began spitting up blood.

Brushing his locs out of his face, Liam took the inner part of the weapon pressing it firmly against his neck and drawing a little blood just from the light contact. As Beck struggled to get to his feet, Jade remained dumbfounded at the reality of her friend and love interest could actually outright murder, someone, even if the person deserves it.

"Let's see if I do!" he roared preparing to behead him.

"LIAM, STOP!"

That voice.

Turning around, the battered boy watched as Tori was crying. Sweet, kind hearted, and lovable Tori Vega was crying...

She stood to her feet, walking to him. Despite the stinging tears flowing down her cheeks, she still pressed forward until she now faced him "Please don't do it." she begged him, her voice breaking in the process. "I know he's hurt you and others but," they both looked at Igor. "You've done enough. You fought him and you won. Let's just get out of here and go home..."

Conflict. That was the perfect word to describe him right now. He had the beast trapped, ready for slaughter but here was Tori trying to convince him to leave him to die on his own? He couldn't be denied his vengeance. His mind went into a tail spin.

Kill.

Kill.

Kill.

KILL HIM!

His inner voice seemed that much clearer to him as he began to realize these thoughts weren't his own. Still, he wouldn't allow himself to be robbed of destroying the one who hurt him.

"Killing him won't bring Trina back."

His body tensed for a moment only to loosen his grip until the sickle fell to the earth. Tori was right. This need for revenge wasn't about Igor or anyone else, it was him displacing his anger towards Trina onto someone else just because they attempted to do what she did to him:

Break him.

While it was clear that he wasn't still in love with her, he was still harboring ill feeling towards her. Tori, Jade, and Beck all ushered him away from the insane man, exiting the final obstacle that stood between them and their freedom. The moon shined brightly in the night sky as the four made their way to the jungle. A slightly disorientated Beck, stunned Jade, emotional Tori, and weary Liam all watched as a pair of headlights grew larger in their view. Was everything they did all for nothing?

They received their answer in the form of Mr. Sikowitz pulling next to them. "Hurry up! There's no time to waste!" he urged them. The teacher assisted Beck into the passenger seat while Tori and Jade helped lie Liam in the back of what Sikowitz affectionately called the duck truck, for some odd reason. Once everyone was loaded up, he took off once more into the jungle making sure to avoid any roads that would draw attention to them. In the distance, the four could faintly hear someone yelling over a P.A. system about the jail break which brought a smile on all of their faces.

"We're finally going home." Beck cheered though that was short lived when his head began to throb.

"Easy there, Beckard." Jade teased. "But you did a good job back there."

Turning around slightly, Beck could see the Goth flash her signature smirk before closing his eyes, exhaustion finally settling in.

"Attention passengers, our next stop, Yerba airport. The others are already on board and waiting for us. We'll reach there in two shakes of a lamb's tail." Their lovable, yet strange teacher announced.

* * *

The plane had finally reached its desired altitude of 40,000ft, remaining steady as it headed for the states. While they hoped to go straight to L.A. there was a layover that required them to stop in New York first. A minor inconvenience to the teens of Hollywood Arts. All that mattered was that they would be on American soil once more, away from the wretched country of Yerba. There were so many things that they couldn't wait to get back to, family, music, plays, and yes, even homework. Anything was better than that war-torn country to them.

The friends sat in business class together, not wanting to be apart until they touched down in the U.S. Andre and Cat sat next to each other, listening to the former's pearpod while dozing off. While nothing actually came of their interactions in Yerba, it was clear that the seeds were sown for something to blossom. Beck shared a row with Robbie and Ahrya, who were transitioning back to being the love struck couple of old. He didn't mind though, as he spent a majority of the flight either asleep or eating real food (even if it was airline food). He was, however, grateful that he and Liam were on good terms.

As for Liam, he remained firmly in the middle seat of the row with Tori and Jade occupying the window and row seats respectively. Neither was willing to let him out of their sight as he remained in the lying down position except to eat and use the restroom. He had managed to get a little patched up, considering his wounds re-opening weren't necessarily deep. His ribs were indeed cracked but he would manage until he got to go home. Currently, he was listening to the two go on about who would spend nights at his dorm to help nurse him back to health, even though he just wanted to watch the in flight movie of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

"I'll be back, I gotta whaz." the Goth rushed off to the lavatory, leaving Tori alone with him.

"That was a crazy trip, wasn't it?" she asked.

"A little too crazy, if you ask me." he joked.

Giggling softly, Tori soon found herself filled with numerous questions. "Liam, I need to ask you some things."

"Awww Tori, I promised you we'd talk about this... but do you really want to do it now?"

"I just have a few questions, we can mull over details later, deal?"

While still skeptical, Liam nodded as he struggled to sit up. "Alright shoot."

Taking a deep breath, Tori mulled over her first question. "When Jade told you how I really feel, what were you thinking?"

"I guess, I was shocked because I didn't know you felt that strongly about me. I thought maybe you just wanted to stay friends... But ultimately, I'm glad I know the truth."

Tori breathed a sigh of relief, though it only lasted for a few moments. "Question #2: Do you feel the same way," she blushed. "A-about me that is.. like you do Jade?"

Unlike the first question, Liam didn't answer right away, instead, he chose to take his time to process the question. This only served to make Tori even more nervous. Curiosity began to get the better of her at this point, shown when she found herself nose to nose with the boy in hopes of prying an answer out of him. Stunningly, she found herself on the receiving end of a quick but meaningful kiss. Thankfully everyone was either asleep or distracted to notice the two. As their lips met, a spark had set off between them, heightening their desires. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you view it, they had to pull away, leaving Tori Vega in a love struck daze, her lips stretching into an adorable smile.

Liam merely shook his head in amusement at her reaction. "Now what's your next question?" he chuckled softly.

Shaking her head, the brunette simply looked out of the window at the clouds. "N-nothing, you've answered it already."

"Good, now you can stop moping about how 'Liam doesn't like me like you, Jade.'" she recited, mocking the now embarrassed girl.

"For the 100th time, I don't sound like that!" she growled only to have her bite at her playfully.

"This is going to be interesting..." the boy leaned back, closing his eyes with a smile for once.


	16. Chapter 13

**Welcome back, everyone!**

 **Sorry for the long delay but I must say that I am proud to announce that this fic has passed the 1500 views mark. I hope to get more soon enough. In celebration of this small but meaningful (to me) milestone, I'm going to be working overtime on the next few chapters in advance. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoy this chapter as well. While it may be a little shorter than the others, it is that tricky transition chapter necessary for the progression of the main plot.**

 **As I stated in previous installments, Trina will be returning in the second arc though I'm not sure when or how I'll re-introduce her. I'll also be focusing on Liam, Tori, and Jade a lot more with some side chapters for the others sprinkled every so often. I am very interested in working on the progression of Andre and Cat, given how things turned out in the previous chapter between them. More than likely they'll have a complete or near complete chapter(s) dedicated to them throughout the story. Beck will probably receive the same treatment as I have a few ideas swimming around for him as well. Below is just a blueprint on what I could be planning for everyone outside of the main plot.**

 **Andre & Cat: Growing Relationship**

 **Beck: Path of Redemption**

 **Robbie & Ahrya: Unhealthy Relationship**

 **Beck's side-story maybe called "Path of Redemption", but I haven't decided on official titles for the other two just yet. But Rome wasn't built in a day so it'll all work itself out in time. For now, please enjoy this chapter and review with your ideas and opinions if you have the time.**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 13: Aftermath**

After the events of Yerba, the group finally returned home to a welcome committee of family and friends. While that was going on, Sikowitz and Ahrya made sure to get her brother to the hospital to have him treated immediately while everyone else was bombarded with love and support. After rushing to the E.R., they were fortunate enough that a doctor was available to see him. After getting him prepped, it was determined that he needed surgery to fully close the lacerations he suffered while overseas. Along with the physical recovery, Liam was also instructed to undergo counseling in order to better deal with the trauma of the war-torn country.

Throughout his recovery, the gang would check up on him, keeping him up to date with what was going on at school. Of course, the two who frequented his hospital room the most was none other than Tori Vega and Jade West, the latter of which was always eager to incite some physical contact with him. Day after day, the duo found some form of way to keep the injured boy company but, today was different.

Today was the day Liam was being released.

"Relax Tori," Shuffling through the hallway of the fourth floor, Jade began to notice that Tori had a bit of nervousness in her eyes. "Liam's well enough to leave the hospital and somehow you still find something to worry about..."

Twiddling her fingers, Tori looked at her friend rival guiltily. "Sorry, it's just that..." biting her lip, it was evident that she was trying to find the right way to respond without sounding like a little child. "You remember what he looked like after getting that surgery right?"

The smirk once adorning her lips dropped almost immediately when that was brought up. Jade remembered quite well what her crush looked like after being told that he was in stable condition. The two nearly mauled one another just to notice him wrapped up in bandages from head to toe. Though they weren't permitted to stay very long, one thought flashed before the raven haired girl's mind. A memory that she looked back on with fondness and

* * *

 **One month ago...**

Stealth turned out to be the perfect title for one Jade West. Despite having a ton of assignments and scenes to rehearse, the Goth girl managed to get away from both school and her friends in order to visit the object of her affection. As she waltzed passed the sea of nurses and patients alike, questions began to form in her mind about her actions; the most obvious being: Why not just wait until school let out and visit Liam along with the others?

You could argue that she just wanted personal time with the guy and leave things there, but there was much more to it than that. It was clear by the way she weaved through the occupants that something was amiss. Even waiting inside of the elevator, Jade would catch herself fiddling with her hair or clutching the sleeve of her dark blue top. The seconds passing would only result in butterflies fluttering inside of her. Thoughts flew past her mind as if a hurricane of ideas and questions had touched down in the center of her brain.

'Am I nuts?' she asked herself. 'He's probably still in that medical coma... I should just turn back and-.'

That familiar ding, the signal that told her that she had reached her destination pulled Jade from her inner monologue.

6th Floor. Intensive Care Unit.

Those words caused the girl to swallow a lump in her throat that she never realized was there before and though Jade wanted nothing more than to remain in that elevator, she found herself stepping through the open doors in search of the room that held her close friend and crush. Normally it wasn't permitted for people to be on this floor unless during designated visiting hours and special permission but, knowing Jade West, she managed to convince the receptionist at the front desk to mark her down under family status right along with Liam's sister while the others were occupied with checking on the status of their injured friend.

Remembering that evening brought a smile to the girl's face, a small bit of comfort for her. That solace would become lost in the wind once she found herself staring at the oak wood door of Liam's room. For someone who was known as an impenetrable fortress emotionally, Jade was acting uncharacteristically right now. "Only for you..." she whispered, her hand slowly pushing the door open in front of her.

Inside, Liam was resting comfortably though he was still pretty wrapped up with medical bandages. The sounds of a slow and steady heartbeat was a good sign in Jade's opinion and, upon closer inspection, she realized that his head was nearly devoid of the wraps except along the bridge of his nose. A blush snuck up on her cheeks when she thought of how cute he looked when he was asleep. Then it hit her...

He was still in the coma.

She let out a sharp breath and grabbed a chair to sit next to him.

"You know," she chuckled bitterly. "I skipped school to see you today..." her voice was shaky only rivaled by her shivering hands. "I have to admit that even though I get a kick out of pain well... the good kind anyway, it pains me to see you like this." With a swift glance at the cracked door, Jade smirked softly knowing that nobody was around to see or hear her like this. Worried. Sorrowful. Angry. These feeling and more mixed in her like a bubbling cauldron that only seemed to make her feel worse as they continue to sit inside. "Why did you have to get hurt back there?"

Once that first tear slipped out, the rest followed in an unbroken stream. Jade leaned towards the unconscious boy, taking in every detail of his facial features. She was never one to break down in a sob without a serious enough reason. This was one of those rare moments. Hot streaks flowed trailed down Ivory cheeks causing her vision to become blurred. Her heart was heavy knowing, to an extent, what put him here. "Why did you have to fight that monster? Why didn't you just run away?" Jade slipped her hand under the open palm of her beloved, hoping for some sign to appear to her.

Nothing.

"We were supposed to escape Yerba together without anyone getting hurt!" her eyes bled with pain as she chewed her lip. "I never wanted to see you hurt and..." she paused. A tightening in her throat, followed by the short intake of air forced Jade to consider her next words. "I know this may sound heartless and selfish but, I hated seeing Tori as the one you were protecting..."

The emotional storm seemed to be dissipating only to be followed closely by a torrent of guilt and shame. "I know that she was the one you were really protecting back there, and I- I know everyone calls me a gank and mean but, honestly, I'm frightened... What if I don't measure up to Tori? What if I'm destined to always play second fiddle to her?" As Jade continued to pour out her most intimate thoughts, she failed to notice that someone was listening...

"I came here, hoping that you would wake up and," her face streaked with dried rivers of hurt, began to burn with embarrassment. "maybe have one of those fairytale moments. Unfortunately, those are only reserved for those deemed to be princesses, not me, the evil step sister type..."

With nothing more to say, Jade West reluctantly pulled her hand from under Liam's. Grabbing her bag, she made her way to the door, content with the knowledge of his, albeit minuscule, progress.

"Who say's that fairy tales aren't for you?" Her eyes widened as her grip on the door tightened. "And who told you that you were an evil step sister?"

Despite the raspy tone, it was crystal clear whose voice was ringing in Jade's ear. She slowly turned around, afraid that this was all just a figment of her mind. Fear gripped her for a multitude of reasons, none more powerful than finding out that she was imagining the whole thing. To her surprise and delight, Liam was indeed awake and currently grinning at her.

"Liam?" as cliche as it sounded, Jade didn't care. It was all she could muster out at the moment.

"Hey, Jade." his lips widened into a soft smile.

An involuntary whimper managed to escape her lips as slowly, the raven haired girl approached the still tired and groggy form of Liam. Shock and awe danced within the azure gems of Jade West who was debating whether to smile or crumble into an emotional wreck. Liam would find that she settled on a combination of the two feelings as she hugged him gingerly. He rubbed her back gently while she sobbed into his shoulder. Hot stains dropped freely on the bandages but he didn't care.

"It's okay, Jade," he whispered. "I'm alright..."

He would find his words had little effect in changing her current mood, instead, he would find her grip on his hospital gown tightening. The two would remain this way for only Lord knows how long until Liam noticed something: Jade had passed out; the product of pouring out her guts earlier and sobbing uncontrollably. With a silent chuckle, the still sore Liam did his best to pull her into his bed and maneuver her body into a more suitable position. Successful in his attempt, he pushed dark locks from her face only to find a soft grin adorning her lips.

"Seems you have a soft side too..." he whispered, his mind trying to process everything that was told to him earlier.

* * *

Tori noticed the goofy smirk on her friend's face, unsure of whether she should inquire into why this was or just leave things be; the mind of Jade was a labyrinth filled with mysteries and scary destination to be fair. She was forced to choose the latter as they found themselves at his door. Half expecting him to be still lying bed, both were in awe to find the boy sitting along the side of the bed with a doctor checking his left arm. Upon further inspection, the two noticed that he was shirtless and having stitches removed.

"Alright, Mr. Patterson, you seem to have healed up rather well." the older male smiled warmly. "It'll be a little while longer before the scars disappear but you're completely cleared to participate in physical activities again. I suggest cocoa butter in case you'd like to speed up the scarring process."

"Thanks, Doc!" he nodded politely only noticing the two girls afterward. "Hey, you two!"

Taking his cue, the man in the lab coat took his leave, stepping between the two flushed young women.

"Hey/Sup." they respectively greeted.

"Glad to see you two!"

"Mhmm..." they both responded, distracted by his stretching. Occupied by the sight of his bare skin, Tori & Jade began to experience similar feelings that didn't go unnoticed by the other.

Lust.

Tori's mind was captivated by images of her and Liam on a private beach. He is covered in beads of cool water mixed with the sun kissing his skin as he approached her with bedroom eyes. Her thoughts continued as he chased her along the beach front, gently tackling her along the soft towel nearby. In between their laughing, their eyes locked; her face shifting from cheerful to wanting. Tori would find him mirroring the expression; his hand reaching up to caress her cheek before stealing a kiss. She wraps her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss, savoring his soft lips upon her own. Her right leg crossing over his, she would feel his lips travel south, resting only to caress her firm stomach. Her mind began to lose focus as each kiss sent a shockwave of sensual bliss throughout her body.

Though inexperienced, Tori knew what came next.

"Tori..." he shudders in delight.

"Yes."

"Tori."

"Yes, Liam."

"Are you okay?"

Her vision seemed to return the brunette back to reality as a still half naked Liam was waving his hand in front of her.

"Huh?" she shook her head, trying desperately to rid herself of the bright pink resting along her face.

"Are you alright? You sort of spaced out there..." he raised an eyebrow at the embarrassed girl.

"Typical Vega," Jade teased from behind the boy. "it seems she had something rather interesting on her mind. Care to share, Tori?"

Flustered, Tori shot the gothic girl the mother of all death glares before attempting to explain herself to Liam. The details of their banter faded from Jade's line of hearing as she was too busy marveling over the scars and muscles that made up his back. Soon, Jade found herself drifting off into her own world.

Jade found herself stepping into a dimly lit bedroom, candle lights scattered throughout. A trail of rose petals guided her to the king sized bed, it too dressed with the soft ruby petals. There was no music, only the sounds of nature claiming her senses until she happens to look in the mirror. Her eyes found themselves taking in the sight of her dressed in a negligee, blue and black. She bends over ever so slightly only to freeze in her tracks as the presence of another seemed to overtake her. Though unsure, there was a familiar feeling about this aura radiating from it. She turned, slowly, marveling as the soft lights revealed his form. They both knew what the other was thinking, each more than happy to oblige. Hearts racing, the moment building.

Within seconds, Jade found herself under the larger form of Liam whose eyes were like that of a wolf. Ripping away at the few remaining articles of clothing, Jade could feel that unmistakable tingling welling up inside. Running his hands down her curvaceous body, he stared into her eyes, deep pools of blue scanning him. Before she could tell him what she wanted, her throat released a hard gasp as his teeth clamped down on her neck, just hard enough to leave a mark. The amount of pain fused with pleasure was more than she'd anticipated. She dug her nails deep into his flesh, piercing muscle. Small amounts of blood coated her sharp finger tips as her loins burned with passion. She needed him. She wanted him right then and there, but he had other plans. He moved from her throat, down to her collar, then kissing her breasts. She then felt something pressing into her now wet slit, coating his two fingers with her wetness.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" his voice was low yet, held so much power.

Only a whimper and a nod.

"I asked you a question, Jade." he licked along the spot where he had bitten her just moments before. "Is this what you've wanted?"

Looking into his eyes, she managed to feel herself falling deeper into his lust fueled trance. His fingers teasing her. His eyes piercing into her soul. She could feel her first, of hopefully many, orgasm threatening to rip through her like paper.

"Yes, Liam."

"You sure?"

"Yes." she whispered.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Huh?"

Suddenly it all stopped. Everything rushing back to the present day.

Before her, Liam, who was now fully clothed and clutching his school bag was smiling awkwardly and a confused Tori.

"We can hang out after I get settled back at the dorms. Cool?"

Both girls nodded blankly, unsure of what exactly was going on while Liam made his way out of the room.

* * *

Later on that night, the gang met up at Tori's house for some rest and relaxation. Beck, Robbie, and Tori were currently getting their butts handed to them by Ahrya who seemingly turned into a different person when in 'the zone' as she'd put it. "Full House!" she shouted at the top of her lungs while collecting the pot which consisted of various types of candy. Andre and Cat had begun spending a bit of time together after Yerba, though their status continued as merely friends for the most part. While Cat didn't feel any particular way about this, Andre was a bit disappointed, something that the red haired beauty appeared to be completely oblivious to. This left Jade who was helping Liam catch up on his assignments.

"Seriously, I can't believe you didn't take Helen's offer and just accept the A's..." she huffed.

Rolling his eyes, Liam shrugged off the complaint. "I did, just for certain classes. There was no way I was going to let Ms. Jenkins pile up that anatomy packet on me." He flipped another sheet of paper into the pile of finished work, thankful that he had completed everything for his regular classes, leaving only Mr. Sikowitz's mid term project. Rubbing the back of his neck, Liam grinned as his eyes followed the instructions written on the page.

"Pick a play to audition for by next Friday. You'll be required to pick one class play to participate in but you are allowed to audition for multiple or all of the plays listed below. Each short play involves original work written by either yours truly or Hollywood Arts Alumni. If you receive a part for more than one play, just acknowledge which role you'd like to accept and you'll be given a script for the production you've chosen."

Checking the list, Liam noticed that none of the names listed were interesting enough for him to have a major desire to be a part of.

"I'll check this out later on." he dropped the page onto the coffee table, a rough yawn emerging from his core. "At least I'm caught up with all this paperwork." He let out a good stretch, gazing at the clock resting on the far right wall. "And it's only... 11:32..." he threw his head back in disdain, clearly wanting to enjoy a game or two before heading home. He soon found himself gathering his things into his book bag before pressing on to the door.

"Okay, well I should be heading home," he grumbled. "Robbie, you are Ahrya staying or going?"

Both thought for a moment, before looking at Tori who'd just started gathering the cards. "I think I'll stay and help Tori clean up." Robbie chimed in.

"If Robbie's staying, then I will too."

"I swear you two are practically joined at the hip..." Jade made a gagging face, feigning disgust. "Could you two get any more barf inducing."

Ahrya opened her mouth to retort only to be stopped by her boyfriend.

"It's okay, love." he wrapped his arms around her. "Jade's just jealous of our affection."

"Whatever, Shapiro. We have to get going anyway."

Turning to face Jade, he raised an eyebrow curiously. "We?"

She brandished her signature smirk and made her way without a single word, though the sound of jingling keys caught Liam's ears. On instinct, he began patting all over his body only to find that the keys in question were, in fact, his own. The remaining friends burst into laughing, save for Cat who was trying to figure out what was going on, as he rushed out of the house yelling at her.

Unknown to the couple, there was someone lurking near the Vega homestead, watching both Jade and Liam argue over who would drive the car, the former winding up victorious (no pun intended). As they pulled off into the night, the mysterious figure soon disappeared into the shadows.

* * *

"That wasn't funny, Jade." Liam grumbled. "I'm perfectly capable of driving myself home..."

"You know, you sound like a pouting kindergartener." It didn't help matters that Liam had now crossed his arms, turning his gaze to the traffic out side of the vehicle. "Besides, where we're going, you're going to get all of the rest you need before you officially go back to school."

He shudders at her plans, a surge of caution coursing through his veins. "Exactly what do you mean, Jade?" Her smirk only increased his sense of curiosity and fueled his concern. The rest of the drive consisted of him asking questions and her simply humming. It was clear that they weren't heading to his dorm anytime soon. "Jade this isn't funny. Where are we... going?"

The car eventually pulls up into the parking lot of a decent looking budget motel, Jade content with the sudden silence from her passenger. "Grab your stuff and let's head inside," she ordered while putting the car in park. "I packed you some clothes and stuff in a bag that's inside of the trunk. The two stepped out, one heading directly inside, courtesy of the key card and the other confused.

The two stepped out, one heading directly inside, courtesy of the key card and the other confused as to how and when this had happened. Following the instructions, Liam quickly grabbed his duffle bag. He approached the door with a silent step. Carefully pushing the slightly ajar door open, he thought she saw something. Turning around swiftly, Liam eyed the large hedge that shielded him from the view of those passing by on the streets. He shook his head as if to chase away thoughts of someone, or something, creeping up on him and instead, put his mind on

Sticking his neck into the room, Liam inched his way inside. "Jade?" there was no response, though he knew that she was inside. 'Perhaps she was in the bathroom?' That idea made sense, though she would've responded at least. Emerald eyes scanned the surroundings before him. A simple queen sized bed turned out to be the largest object in the room and aside from a television and a wooden table and chairs, there was nothing really special about the room. "Jade, whatever you're up to, it's not funny," he warned, though there was no real authority behind his words.

Suddenly the lights went out. As he turned to make an escape, he found the door closing behind him, plunging him in a blanket of darkness.

"Tell me, Liam," Jade's voice bounced off of the walls. "are you afraid of the dark?"

Liam was on his guard at this point turning around every so often in hopes of figuring out where the girl was. He knew his attempts at spotting the girl were futile, but that didn't stop him from trying. What did stop him, however, were two hands that pushed him forward against what felt like the bed. He was stunned momentarily from the impact and Jade was quick to capitalize, winding something soft around his wrists. If there was any hope to be had at regaining any advantage, it was now gone as Liam realized that he was at the mercy of his lovely captor.

"Ow! I think I'm more afraid of you..." he groaned softly.

"Good answer. Now be a good boy and get on the bed." she cooed in his ear, her words like silk to him.

Uncertainty crept down the spine of the boy as he complied with Jade's lovely demands until he was sitting against the headboard. While his eyes were still trying to adjust to the amount of darkness, he did manage to make out the faint glow of azure staring back at him from time to time. His heart raced inside his chest and yet, another part of his anatomy was making its presence known in this situation.

"Jade, I don't know what you're planning, but..." he would find his speech robbed from him as a soft hand clamped over his mouth.

The gentle shush of Jade both concerned and excited him as he could feel his belt being undone. "If you're good, maybe mama will give you a cookie." she teases him with a kiss to his earlobe, a little-known weakness of his. Feeling him shudder in delight was a small victory for her as was the successful removal of the belt. "Now," taking her hand from his mouth, Liam would find it replaced with another soft object wrapped around his face, effectively muffling his sounds for the time being. "I need you to stay quiet while I finish up here."

Unable to move or speak, Liam could only watch the form of Jade shuffling around the room. What really would catch his attention was when he felt his pants being pulled from his waist leaving him in nothing but his plain white t-shirt and boxers.

"Gwab arbou boin?" he tried to protest but his words were nothing more than a garbled mess.

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to enunciate if you want me to understand you, tiger." He both loved and hated when she used her nickname for him, a point made evident by his frustrated growl. "Now, what do we have here?"

Though she had felt it before, Jade had never had the opportunity to actually handle the hardware. Reaching into his shorts, she could feel the full extent of his manhood in the palm of her hand, marveling at how well endowed he really was. While Liam couldn't see it, he was sure he felt the devious gaze of Jade fixated on him as he felt a cool breeze hit his lower body. A faint plop confirmed that his boxers were now somewhere scattered on the floor thanks to her. The last thing he remembered was her sitting next to him on the bed, hand still firmly grasping him down below and draping another over his shoulder. "I think we're going to have a lot of fun this weekend."

Suddenly, he felt the familiar feeling of a hand running ever so gently along his length, forcing a poorly stifled moan. He was helpless as she began stroking him in rhythm while leaning in and kissing his cheek. Liam tried his best to resist the pleasure that she brought upon him through teasing and taunting but he soon found himself merely closing his eyes, savoring the feather-like touch of the raven haired succubus who managed to force this side of him out. After nearly ten minutes of playing around, she thought it best to at least give him the release he so desperately desired. His moans became more sporadic as her other hand slowly rubbed his crotch, feeling his body tensing up.

The final moment of that night would come when Liam's mumbling ceased as his body began to jerk slightly, signaling his long awaited orgasm. The two would remain on the bed, the latter being completely worn out. A few minutes later, Jade untied the scarves and helped him under the covers. Despite practically having him as a hostage, it was clear that he enjoyed himself as a grin of satisfaction rested on his face. She returned from washing her hands, hopping under the covers next to him and cradled his head against her bosom. Her mind was filled with various things she planned to do with Liam, non-sexual deeds included.

"I think we're going to have a lot of fun this weekend." she leaned in, kissing his forehead before succumbing to her own slumber.

* * *

 **In my defense, I didn't plan on this chapter ending the way it did. In fact, the original ending will be placed in the next chapter due to my editor, aka sister lol, who decided to have this in its place. In a way, I have to agree with her as this plays right into the character Jade's portraying right now. I wanted to give both girls a form of advantage over the other in a single department thus keeping things equal yet, unique between them. In the last chapter, it was shown that Tori actually has an advantage in the emotional category but struggles dramatically in the confidence/physical bracket while Jade is the complete opposite. She actually has been able to (literally) sleep with Liam, make-out, and now, have a sexual encounter with him but, she still is pretty weak on the emotional level given that she's only revealed her inner self when the situation is dire or lines have been crossed. In fact, three known situations include:**

 **In fact, three known situations include:**

 ***The cliffside scene- After two years of holding her tongue, she finally snapped off on Liam after witnessing him blame his own shortcomings for Trina disappearing instead of expressing herself. However, she quickly folded and had to be coerced into revealing her own feelings about that and him while retaining her pride.**

 ***The rooftop/gym scene- After preventing Liam's suicide attempt, Jade merely chose to remain with him in bed after things began to settle down. After finding out that he left without her knowledge, after ordering him to remain in bed, she only opened up to him after scaring off Andre & Robbie. She even convinced Tori to leave before planting a huge kiss, fueled by pain and desperation for him.**

 ***Liam Returns Scene- In Yerba, after waiting weeks for him to return, she was furious after hearing him act like things were okay between everyone after being released from the Maggot's Nest. Though it was never openly mentioned in the chapter, Jade's reaction to his demeanor was due to her inability to have any physical interaction with him as a way to express how she really felt about it given the circumstances.**

 **Needless to say, it appears that Jade's only means of pure emotional expression always winds up involving some form of physical interaction and while it's an advantage as shown in the ending above, it is a major weak point and the closest to her real character in the series. So, with the last chapter focusing a bit on Tori's interaction (more or less) with Liam, this one focused on Jade's but what awaits them all in the next installment?**

 **You'll all find out very soon. But, for now, I bid you all good night/morning and be safe.**


	17. Chapter 14

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 14: Pleasure & Pain**

 _Every girl has 3 guys in her life._

 _1\. The one she loves._

 _2\. The one she hates._

 _3\. The one she can't live without._

 _In the end, they're all the same guy._

* * *

Tori had been staring at the door for what felt like hours. In reality, she'd been standing in that one spot for a few minutes but the feeling of her stomach did her no favors. She stood for a couple more seconds, her stomach churning, her eyes closed. She wanted to be suddenly small and to crawl into a hole and disappear. Why did she always feel like she was on trial whenever she would attempt to get alone time with Liam? It was a vicious cycle that she saw no clear end. The only thing that gave her any form of comfort was the realization that she hadn't come all this way to just turn and leave.

Three knocks, not too hard but just loud enough for anyone inside to hear.

No reply.

She tried again only to receive the same result.

After the sixth or seventh time, Tori Vega huffed and turned to depart only to bump into an equally surprised Robbie Shapiro who dropped his bags.

"Ow! Tori, what's gotten into you?" he rubbed his backside gingerly. The two began gathering up the contents, Tori apologizing repeatedly throughout. As they finished, Robbie peered behind the girl. Sighing softly, he passed by her in order to unlock the door. "If you're looking for Liam, he's not here. He wasn't around when Andre dropped us off."

If she were a canine, her ears would have surely dropped. "What? But Jade said she was going to..." Wide-eyed, she sprints down the hall, leaving a confused Robbie Shapiro behind.

* * *

Jade was happy.

Yes, you heard correctly.

The typically sarcastic and snarky Jade West was currently humming "Simple & Clean" as she pulled into the drive way of her house. Thought of Liam still at their motel room, caused her lips to curl upwards even more as he was fast asleep from their previous encounter. Seeing him so peaceful and calm made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside, something she'd murder anyone for if they ever knew. As expected, her parents weren't anywhere around the lavish homestead which was what she was hoping for. With nobody to interrupt her inner musings, Jade went inside and bolted straight for her room.

As she began looking for some things, a certain Latina was closing in on her location. Thankful that Andre had dropped her off, she was glad to see that her crush's car was where she expected it to be. What did surprise her was that both the driver's door and Jade's front door were open. Could Liam be inside with her?

"That doesn't make any sense... He never leaves his door open." she shook her head and noticed a familiar figure behind the top floor window, appearing to be stuffing multiple articles of clothing into something. Tori took special precaution to remain hidden until the goth was no longer in sight. It would only take a few minutes before she reemerged in the front door and time was of the essence. Creeping around, she entered the vehicle, crawled over the front seats and hid under a thick blanket that usually covered the seats or anything else from being dirty just as Jade was locking up the house.

Opening the back door, Jade tossed a large suit case that wound up hitting her rival in the head somehow, managing to miss the hushed 'ow...' from Tori. Shutting the front door, the car sprung to life, taking Jade and Tori to their intended/unknown destination. While Liam was your average level-headed driver, Jade was a bit of the wild type to no one's surprise. Everything from insane volumes of rock music to her excessive displays of road rage caught her ears. Other than that, only the random moments of sharp turns and the resulting sliding suitcase that continued to pummel her throughout the extent of the drive. Occasionally, Jade would check the back seat after hearing a rather suspicious shuffling every so often, but didn't inquire further due to either a car horn blaring behind her or doing the same thing to another driver.

"Now where is that motel at?" Tori could hear her ask, both thankful and worried. "It should be somewhere... oh! there it is."

One more turn and Tori was far passed happy to know that she wouldn't be clubbed by the large suitcase any longer. The car pulled in slowly before Jade brought it to a complete halt and the sounds of an opening door prompted Tori to get ready. Her plan was simple:

1\. Find Jade.

2\. Find Liam's location.

3\. Surprise Jade and...

Okay so that was still a work in progress but the main thing was clear. She was going to surprise Jade and demand to know where Liam was and all she needed was for the girl to open the back door opposite her and she would spring into action. Unfortunately, she found herself falling out of the car still plunged in semi-darkness thanks to the blanket cocooning her.

"Get up, Vega." Pulling the infernal thing from her face, Tori found herself staring into the none too pleased glare of Jade. "Are you just going to lie there or are you going to explain why you've been hiding in the backseat all this time?"

The girl shot up to her feet, dusting herself off in the process. "I could ask you the same question." she pointed a finger. "I showed up to check up on Liam and I find out you never took him home last night. It's bad enough that you always wind up spending nights with him and now, you resort to practically kidnapping the guy?" The feeling of frustration burned behind her eyes when another question entered her mind. "Wait, how did you know I was in the backseat?"

Instead of being angry though, Jade chuckled softly. "Listen up cupcake, for starters, I saw you trying to hide behind the neighbor's hedges. I just chose not to react. I also figured you to go off and do something as wild as to hide in the car and looky what I find? You stand before me." Jade mocked. "Also, it's funny you should mention 'kidnapping' too..."

Feeling a wave of worry cascading over her, Tori glanced over at the motel but quickly returned her gaze to the rather flirtatious girl in front of her. While it was confirmed that Liam was inside one of the rooms, the tan skinned girl felt a bit uneasy by Jade's response the kidnapping allegation. Did she really do that or was she just messing with her for the sake of teasing?

"The way I see it, Tori, you have two choices. One, you can get in the passenger's seat and I take you back home. We never discuss this again and everything goes back to normal." Jade then held up two fingers. "The second option is that you go inside and find Liam but you have to deal with whatever you find inside. The choice is yours." As the girl contemplated dark ultimatum, Jade walked around her, grabbing her suitcase from the other side. She then took the bag and headed to the front door where Liam was apparently being kept. She used the key, tinkering with the lock before hearing the sounds of a door shutting which brought a satisfied smile to her lips. "I knew she didn't have-I."

Jade was shocked to find that Tori was not inside the car, waiting for her to take her home. In fact, Tori was now only a foot or so away from her, a look of defiance on her face. "Didn't have what, Jade?" she asked in a mockingly sweet tone. She said nothing, instead amused with letting Tori have this victory; it would be short lived in her mind. She opened the door, ushering the Latina inside first.

The room was dark, aside from the faint light shining from the entrance. The sounds of sensual music filled the area as Tori slowly ventured further inside. "Jade what's going on?" her confidence dwindling with each passing second. Brown eyes scanned around, settling on a lone figure lying on the bed moaning softly. From what she could make out, the person she assumed was Liam, had his hands lifted above his head with the covers draped over his body. "Liam?" she whispered, not trusting her own voice.

"I put in ear plugs, Vega. He can't hear a word we're saying." Jade chimed in.

Turning to face her, Tori couldn't believe what was going on. "Why is he tied to the bed, Jade? Are you...?"

"Relax. He's consenting if that's what you're asking." Seeing her jaw drop, Jade chose to continue. "He's beyond frustrated. I'm giving him exactly what he wants and needs before he starts school on Monday. Between the physical and psychological trauma of Yerba, he's the only one who hasn't gotten any form of therapy involving it. I just chose to get it through a more sensual approach." she licked her lips softly.

"But Jade, this can't be right..."

"So, you mean to tell me that it's okay for him to put his body through hell for you and not get anything in return?!" she suddenly snapped, forcing Tori silent. "Back in Yerba, he put his body on the line to protect you from that maniac without a second thought, Tori! He spent all of that time in that hell hole for you!" She pointed menacingly at the poor girl who, inwardly was cowering. "How do you think that makes me feel? We all know that Tori Vega gets her way in the end. You get the parts in plays. You get the benefit of the doubt when things aren't to your liking. Even now, you have an emotional connection with him that I can only dream about! The only thing I can possibly offer him that you haven't is..."

Then it hit her.

This whole thing was set-up for Jade to give herself to Liam physically.

She took one more look at the figure lying down on the bed. "Jade, you don't have to do this. Not for the reason you're doing it for."

"Yeah, right." Jade's tone was much darker now than before. "What do you expect me to do then?"

"Don't be like Trina..." pools of blue enlarged as her body stiffened. "...Don't be like my sister, Jade."

If looks could kill, Tori would be burning at the stake right now as Jade West shut the door behind her. "Don't. You. Ever. Compare me to her." she seethed through gritted teeth. Her fury knew no equal now as she stalked dangerously close to a now unwavering Tori. "I am nothing like that con-artist you call a sister."

"Really? Isn't this what she did before leaving him?"

The aura of danger only grew around the two; opposing views and desires clashed at each girl stared at the other unwilling to back down. Jade's eyes danced with the devil when a thought flashed before her.

Attack.

Maim.

Destroy.

She wrestled with these voices, backing away slowly from the brunette.

He's yours.

Claim him.

Whatever the cost.

Before Jade knew it, she was huddled against the door, knees pressed against her chest. In spite of the darkness, her azure orbs remained fixated on the bound Liam. Was all of this just to overshadow Trina? Had she allowed her own sense of one-upmanship cloud her judgment?

"What am I doing?" she whispered. She could hold the heartbreak no longer and she felt her grief pouring out in a flood of uncontrollable tears. "Tori, what am I doing?" Tears flowed from her eyes followed by her hands clutching her head in misery and regret.

Her feelings of sorrow and pain were met with the warmth of two arms wrapping around and pulling her closer. She found herself sobbing softly as her face was buried in Tori's shirt as several things began to surface within her mind. She was desperate to outshine anyone for this guy; an admirable quality to be sure, but a double edged sword nonetheless. She wanted to have him sexually, but not if it was centered around some pseudo-competition with someone that was arguably not even worth mentioning. Yet, here she was, confused and disturbed at her actions.

"Maybe, I don't deserve him."

Tori pulled away from her. "Jade, stop it."

Looking up, she felt like erupting again but chose against it. "Why not? It's clear which one of us has his heart emotionally." To her surprise, Jade would find herself being pulled by the collar of her shirt. In front of her, the normally warm eyes of Tori were now filled with a determination unseen before.

"Stop competing with everyone, Jade." she scolded through gritted teeth. "So what if Liam and I have connected emotionally. He's done the same with my sister at one point but look at how that turned out! She's gone and he was an emotional wreck for years after that." she tightened her grip, emphasizing her resolve. "You've actually spent the night with him, had possibly more alone time with the guy, and even kissed him before me. Do you not think that has some significance?"

Silence.

"Nobody's telling you to be me, or Trina and hopefully you're not considering being like Cat." this incited a small smirk from both girls. "Jade, you just need to be yourself. Do you not think I'd like to do some of the things you've done with Liam? I do, but I'm too afraid to."

"What do you mean?"

Easing up on the poor girl, Tori exhaled. "There's a reason I was afraid of even telling Liam my feelings. After what Trina did, I didn't want him to view me as a replacement or worse, another her. Fortunately, he's done neither of those things. If it weren't for you pushing me, I don't think I ever would've tried anything with him romantically. Now, I'm telling you to..." she mulled over her next statement for a second. "just be Jade West."

Jade allowed those words to sink in, unable to truly know what they'd mean for the future. "I guess you're right," she mumbled.

"What was that?" Tori placed a hand behind her ear, her normal, cheerful voice returning.

"I said, you're right, Vega." the pale girl stuck her tongue out, despite her annoyance.

"Good."

Tori then released her hold on the girl's shirt and allowed her to reach her feet. It was crazy how they had just had some form of a heart to heart while shrouded in the darkness for so long but, crazier things have happened. "I guess I should let the poor guy go..." disappointment lacing Jade's words. Tori then remembered why they were even arguing in the first place. "I'm sure his arms have to have gone numb by now."

"Wait!" she called out after Jade reached for the light switch. "Do we have to do it right now?"

Ignoring the innocence in her words, Jade West could see the gleam in Tori's eyes. "Well, I do have this room for another night. Maybe we can have a little fun before checking out. I do feel I owe you for keeping this between us. You will keep this moment between us, right?" If she knew anything, it was that a sweet talking Jade was even more dangerous than an angry Jade as she nodded without a word. "Good, we can leave around six tonight, but first, want to see what it looks like?"

"I guess so..." Tori giggled. "I was thinking more along the lines of..."

"Playing the flute?"

"What? N-no!" she shook her head violently as a clear reddish tone marked her cheeks. "I meant just touching it."

"Sure you did, Vega. Alright, let's check up on our patient and help you indulge your inner freak."

"Please don't call it that, Jade." the girl whined as they stalked nearer upon their blindfolded prey.

* * *

After a few hours of hand jobs, Liam sat at his desk in silence as Robbie continue to press him for answers. Though he was annoyed by this, the relief he felt from two nights of some sexual release did do him a little bit of good. The only thing on his mind was the weird sense that between the night prior and today, it seemed that there were two different hands touching him. He knew that Jade was the one before but it was like there were two different people handling him (no pun intended).

"Come on, something had to have gone down between you and Jade last night." Robbie insisted.

Rolling his eyes, Liam kept his eyes on the information pertaining to Sikowitz's 'Parade of Plays' as he put it. "We just hung out all night. We lost track of time and Jade decided that we just fall asleep in the car. I was just happy to not have to sleep in the hospital again." He did his best to refrain from mentioning any details as Robbie was the analytical type. "Don't you and Ahrya have work or a date to go on?"

Shooting a glance at his watch, Robbie suddenly began to panic. "Oh, man! You're right!" he darted for the closet, hoping to find something presentable, and clean to wear. "She's gonna kick my butt!"

"Given how much you're slacking in the self-defense department, I'd say that's accurate." a smug grin plastered on his face.

With a quick glare, Robbie soon found a nice white dress shirt and some fashionable jeans before rushing out to the bathrooms.

"Talk about a lucky break." he chuckled to himself while heading over to his bunk. "I thought he'd never leave me alone about that." A knock at the door alarmed and scared him. Thinking it to be his roommate and friend, Liam groaned. "Robbie, I swear if you ask me one more..." Opening the door, he found, not Robbie, but a smiling Tori Vega standing in the doorway.

"Um... Hey." she waved awkwardly.

"Hey, Tori." he returned the gesture with equal awkwardness. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?"

"I walked of course."

He stared at her blankly, mind processing the simple reply as if it were the formula to cold fusion. "You did what?"

She placed a hand on her hip. "I said, I walked. There's nothing wrong with walking is there?"

"N-no... I mean it's just... ah nevermind." he lowered his head in shame. "Would you like to come in?"

Shaking her head, she took his hand and, with a dazzling smile, pulled him out of the room. Thankfully, he was able to shut the door behind him before finding himself halfway down the hall. Before he could ask, Liam recognized the ever so familiar path to the rooftop garden. While he wasn't sure of what to expect, he found himself content with not knowing every time he saw Tori's smile face. It didn't take long before they reached their destination and the couple was seated at the empty bench swing.

"Okay, now will you tell me what's going on?" cautious was his tone, though there was a touch of intrigue as well. "You wouldn't say anything since pulling me out of my room."

Without turning her head or appearing to communicate with him, she would whisper her words. "What do you think of Jade and me?"

Taken aback at the sudden question, he took a moment to let it marinade within his brain and heart. Though he wasn't up for this, he knew that everything said tonight could impact his future with the girls. 'Why does love have to be so complicated?' he gazed at the soft blue night above in hopes of a sign to aid him. Only twinkling stars would be found and he knew that he'd have to be straightforward.

"Individually, you both are the closest I've been with any girl since... since Trina. I don't know where I'd be without you two helping me throughout these last few years. I know you both like me and I like you two as well but..."

"But what?" she raised an eyebrow, focusing intently on his words.

"I don't want to choose between one and hurt the other!" he admitted while standing to his feet. "I mean you both have something that I love and yet it's wrong to have to pick one and break the heart of the other." Running a hand through his hair, Tori could see the conflict resonating from him. "It's not fair to either of you. I mean, if I had it my way, I'd choose you both. Not to be greedy but because of everything we've gone through together." Before she could speak up, he unknowingly cut her off. "Back there, in Yerba, that guy I... I killed to get us out of there was talking about torturing and raping you and Jade. I didn't realize it then but after being on the other side of the prison, I came to the realization that I had fallen for both of you and if that guy ever tried to touch either of you, I would hurt him. I'm sorry that I didn't reveal that a lot sooner."

"Do you mean that?" She placed a hand on Liam's back, feeling the high amount of tension buried deep inside. "If you could, you would want a relationship with me and Jade?"

"If it were possible, yes." he didn't turn around to look at her but he didn't have to for her to know the honesty in his words. "I would marry you both in a heartbeat but, sadly, our country frowns on polygamy."

"Nobody's asking for that, dingus..." Liam's head shot up at the voice. Turning his gaze, he saw none other than Jade West leaning against the door frame. "I believe what you're referring to is polyamory, dating multiple partners while still retaining the boundaries of a standard relationship." He watched as she approached him with a bit more sway in her hips than usual. "Am I hitting the nail on the head?"

Unsure of what else to say, Liam just nodded.

"Good, because you just saved us from a lot of questioning."

Feeling Tori wrapping her arms around his waist, Liam was unprepared for Jade's embrace and cat-like nuzzling along his face. The two remained this way for a bit before the puzzled boy finally came to his senses.

"Hold on a minute!" he gently pulled away from the two, taking in their perplexed gazes. "So you two are saying that you both want to go out with me?"

Jade and Tori turned to one another then back to Liam, their faces unreadable. They each lifted a hand as if to strike him out of offense but left him dazed when instead, they both placed a soft kiss on his cheeks. "We accept!" they both responded in unison. As if in a daze, Liam tried to ask more questions but found himself being showered with affection and later, pulled downstairs. "Come on, Liam/Let's go tiger." Tori and Jade teased respectively.

* * *

As these events transpired, an unknown figure had been watching from the shadows. As they made their way, they pulled out a cell phone, hitting the intended number of their contact. Flustered and anxious, they heard a few more rings before releasing air they hadn't noticed was being held in.

"Hello?"

"Hey, I got some news on that guy you've had your eye on for some time now." hearing no reply, they chose to continue. "It seems that he's involved with not just the gothic chick but also the other girl too. I followed them to a hotel the day before and it seemed that things escalated pretty fast between the three after that. Should we go in and retrieve the target? I could run interference and,"

"No need. For now, we'll wait and see where things go from here." the mysterious voice chimed in.

Though not one to question, the figure appeared to grow more and more worried. "Are you sure? If things keep going then everything we've worked for could be ruined!"

"Are you questioning me?!"

"N-not at all..." they cowered slightly. "I'm just concerned that all of your hard work could potentially be messed up by this happening."

"Understood. I know you're being a good soldier but for now, just keep a close eye and monitor any progress."

"As you wish... I love you."

"I love you too." the voice responded before hanging up.

The figure hopped in their car after checking their phone once more for any updates. Whoever this was, it was clear that they were close enough to Liam to know his every move without him even noticing. As the car cruised down the street, the street lights revealed the figure to be a male with a minor stubble on his chin and thick black hair. Not much else was revealed of his identity as a cold smirk twisted his lips upright.

"I'm doing it all for you, darling..." he mumbled to himself.

* * *

 **Hello everyone and welcome to the next chapter of "Demons Within". As promised, I wanted to do a quick post on the next chapter as a way of saying thanks for 1500+ views on this story! I will be working on Chapter 15 shortly after I rest a little bit and, as an added gift to you for showing so much love with this, I want to give you a little insight on the next chapter and the premise of this story arc. So without further ado, let's get started.**

 **After the gang left Yerba, they all are pleased to get back into the ordinary grind of standard life again. However, there are a lot of questions left unanswered and even some that never were asked until the trip to the horrible country. For starters, Andre and Cat seemed to have developed some realization of emotions towards each other, though only the former has accepted that so far. Throughout this arc, both will have to figure out what happens now and even more important, where does this leave their friendship?**

 **At the same time, it's been confirmed that while Beck and Jade have some form of mutual respect with one another, there is no chance of them getting back together. With this chapter of his life behind him, where does this leave Beck in the long run? Does he go back to his old life or will he take on a different path? Either way, he'll be met with both ups and downs that will shape his future going forward.**

 **With Robbie and Ahrya, things seem to be perfect between them and as such, they are viewed as the model couple. Both encourage the other and have gone leaps and bounds in overcoming their respective issues. While love and devotion appear to be the focal point of their successful union, things are not all that they appear to be. Behind the scenes, there is something going on that carries serious consequences for them both as a unit and individually. Will they survive, or will the shadows be revealed by the light?**

 **The two most obvious questions revolve around our four main characters. As noted, Tori and Jade have finally entered a relationship with Liam and things seem to be going well for once. However, there is someone stalking them, particularly Liam and reporting anything deemed as significant back to an unknown person. While their identities will be revealed in due time, I do enjoy if you have any ideas or predictions as to who this person may be. In the meantime, all three will have to work on what it means to be in a polyamorous relationship. Egos, trust issues, and more will play a major role but in the end, can they survive? Will Liam HAVE to make a choice or will he wind up alone altogether? We'll find out as we continue to move forwards with the story.**

 **Finally, Trina... Yes, Trina Vega is going to be back in the story but the main question is, what role will she play? I will say this. She will definitely be connected to three of the four plots in some form. The three plots revolving around everyone except Andre & Cat will feature Trina to some extent until she's officially revealed. Could she be the one monitoring Liam? Maybe, she has something to do with our loving couple? Perhaps she's out for revenge against Beck? To tell you the truth, even I haven't decided but it's possible that she's directly involved with all of the above. All I will say is that Trina Vega will be have a major impact as the story progresses.**

 **I would also like to mention that this story is about to take a turn down the dark path even more. Yes, there are going to be sexual scenes and even some heavy violence, but there will be themes that are much darker as we continue this journey. If you're okay with that, then I implore you to look forward to the next chapter where we'll be exploring Andre and Cat's interactions while continuing our main story. Thank you all so much for your support of this fic, and have a great night.**


	18. Chapter 15

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 15: Chaotic Understandings**

 _"Introduce a little anarchy, upset the established order_

 _upset the established order and everything becomes..._

 _Chaos."_

 _-The Joker_

* * *

A soft yawn pierced the midday air as various students passed by the group of friends; their collective attentions firmly on the unique couple trying to eat their lunch. Tori and Liam did their best to ignore the constant stares but Jade was visibly annoyed at the groups of students eyeing them.

"What?!" she roared, scaring everyone except her significant others.

"Jade, do you have to scare the everloving crap out of everyone who looks at us?" he stabbed a few pieces of lettuce with his fork.

Not surprising, she rolled her eyes at the question. "Look, just because you two prefer to act nonchalant about this," she pointed threateningly at the duo with her plastic knife. "doesn't mean that I have to do that same. Just because we're in a relationship doesn't change the fact that I'm still going to be me."

Feeling a bit peeved, Liam opened his mouth to retort only for Tori to cut in. "While I hate to say it, Jade makes a good point. We shouldn't have to change our personalities just because we're dating each other." kissing his cheek, it was clear that she was attempting to defuse the conversation through civil means. "We've only been dating a week and already you two are clashing."

Not ones to be amused, both Liam and Jade flashed a questionable glance at the now giggling brunette.

"I wouldn't be doing so much laughing, Tori." the former mumbled in between bites of his salad. "Almost a week and you're still shy around us when we try to be intimate." Both of them snickered as her normal tan cheeks took on a rosy complexion.

"You know, while we've established where we are with Liam," that familiar slyness emanating from Jade West. "but, there's no word on you and me. You don't think that's fair, do you, Liam?"

At this point, even he found himself affected by her comment, clearly exhibited when he nearly choked on his food. When they first agreed to date each other, the idea of Jade and Tori interacting romantically did cross his mind but, nothing was ever mentioned since. Now he found himself in the awkward position he'd grown accustomed to when around the two.

"I um, gotta go check in with Sikowitz on that... play!" he chuckled nervously. Grabbing his bag from under the table, he gave each girl a kiss on the cheek before rushing through the sea of students muttering something about 'needing a cold shower'. Both watch him leave, a slight limp in his stride and burst into a fit of laughter.

"Get's him every time." Jade held her side.

Tori nodded, wiping away a tear. "He can be so easily messed with. It's so cute, though."

Now it was Jade's turn to agree. "Why do you think I keep doing it? But," she tapped her chin. "it does make for an interesting question."

Almost instantly, Tori's lips curved downward until they settled into a straight line. "What are you saying, Jade?"

"I'm saying that, while it is obvious that we're going to be intimate with Liam physically, where does that leave us?" the look behind her azure crystals revealed sincerity and a hint of vulnerability. "We are technically dating too." Jade looked at Tori and saw a mix of worry and uncertainty. "Look, I'm committed to Liam but, I don't think I'd mind sharing moments with you as well." both continued to avert their gazes away from one another, focusing their line of sight on anything other than the person next to them.

"Jade, I'm not lesbian-."

"Neither am I, Tori. I'm just saying that, while we're together with him, we could always explore at some point too."

Just as Tori opened her mouth, the sounds of various trays hitting the table snapped them out of their world. They turned their attention to see Andre, Cat, and Ahrya sitting and watching them as if they'd grown a second head. "Hey, girls." Andre piped up. "How are you two doing this fine afternoon?" The latter of the trio quickly turned her focus on her veggie-burrito, not interested in the direction of the conversation was heading. The girls responded with their traditional 'fine/whatever' combo before changing the subject to anything other than themselves.

"Where's Liam?" Cat asked in a concerned tone. "I thought he was with you."

"Relax, Cat. He just went off to talk with Sikowitz about which play he'd going to be in." Tori placed a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder, a warm smile adorning her face. "There's nothing to worry about."

"You sure about that?" Ahrya inserted herself into the fold.

Jade eyed the girl, suspicious as to what she meant by the snarky remark. Andre, being the voice of reason, cleared his throat in hopes of directing the goth's attention and thus, avoiding a possible altercation. "What she means is that there are only two plays with open slots left." he dug into his music bag, pulling out the revised list. "It says that there's still the male lead for both West Side Story and Aladdin." While Tori and Jade eyed each other, everyone failed to catch Ahrya's ear twitch in sudden interest. She watched closely as the two exchanged worried glances.

"Oh crap/shit." they groaned respectively.

* * *

"Alright, Mr. Patterson. as mentioned earlier you must choose a play to participate in and I saved the two best roles for you." Liam's coconut loving teachers exuded. "It's a good thing you're as great of an actor as you are a singer."

Surprised, and grateful he simply smiled. "You did?! Thanks, Sikowitz!"

"Well, actually it was because all of the other plays were filled along with the understudy roles. But regardless, these two plays should be a good fit for you." Taking a rather long sip from the island fruit, Sikowitz continued. "I trust you'll do well no matter which one you decide upon."

"Well, I'm a huge fan of both but,"

"You'd like to know who you would be playing opposite, correct?" he nodded."Unfortunately, I cannot reveal that until after you've made a clear decision and I've posted them for all to see."

"I get it." he moped. "I guess I'll let you decide. While I wouldn't mind being in both, but I think it'd be fair if you made the choice on which one I should be in."

"Good choice! I'll let Principal Helen know your decision and then you'll be all caught up with your grades. Now, leave me and my coconut in peace." Clearly creeped out, Liam simply backed away just as the man took an even longer sip of what he deemed to be sacred milk. Once gone, Erwin Sikowitz let out a sharp breath. In his hand was the casting list for the many productions. What was troubling to him were the names of the female leads. "May Oyibo Chineke* watch over you, my boy."

After leaving the classroom, Liam made his way towards his locker when someone rushed past him, pushing him into the wall in the process. "What the hell?" In front of him, a random student seemed continued running, sparing only a glance over their shoulder. While his senses warned him to let things be, he chose to ignore them and gave chase, eager to give the rude individual a piece of his mind. "Hey!" The game of Cat & Mouse continued through the halls but it didn't take long, however for him to lose track of the mysterious person. "Dammit, where'd he go?" He scanned his surroundings only to figure out his location, a place he'd long avoided. He stood at the entrance of the old theater where he and Trina first met. Not wanting to let old feelings resurface, he turned to leave, but not before gazing back at the haunting entrance.

Had he continued on, Liam would've had the unknown person cornered inside but to their relief, he dared not trek inside. The girl had long hair that flowed like water and her body, though nice and toned, still signaled that she was curvy in all the right places. She pulled out a cell phone, tapping a few buttons in hopes of reaching her contact.

"Whatcha got?" a male voice picked up.

"Everything's confirmed. There's still something there," she replied arrogantly. "He refused to enter the theater just like you said he would and that's all I need for now."

"So, what now? Do we engage?"

"No. This is good but he's still with those two, tramps..." her voice now held a deep resentment. "Even if he were to relapse, there's no guarantee that they'd break things off. We have to get him to see that he doesn't belong with them. If he breaks up with them, then they'll leave him behind and..."

"And you get him back in your life." the male interrupted. "Sounds a bit dark coming from you and given how much you claim to care-."

"Nevermind that. Just keep your eyes open for anything that may be of use."

Ending the call, the girl scanned the area before sneaking out. With a wicked smirk, she managed to become lost among the other students, nobody being the wiser.

* * *

Another week passed and the students anxiously awaited the casting choices for the various plays but, for Sikowitz, it was like a watching a rabid mob waiting to burn someone at the stake. He was fortunate that he didn't have to direct every play being produced, thanks in part to the other alumni who actually wrote some of the plays themselves. Gulping down some more of his vision inducing coconut milk, he took a deep breath and headed to the multitude. Opening the door, the scattered conversations ceased instantly, eyes glued to the clearly uncomfortable teacher. Now, he felt like a piece of meat being dangled in front of ravenous dogs.

Their collective gazes followed the balding man like a vulture would its prey. The sounds of staples securing the pages to the bulletin board echoed throughout the hallway until the final list was secured. Sikowitz then rushed back to his classroom at the exact moment the crowd began to surround the spot he once occupied. The chorus of murmurs filled the ears of Tori and Jade who had just turned the corner to witness the madness. Frustration washed over the former while Jade remained stone face. Taking a silent breath, the goth's chest began to rise slowly, meaning one thing.

"MOVE!" she roared. On cue, the sea of students parted with soul gripping fear. Tori rolled her eyes while Jade simply waltzed past the others, ignoring the deafening silence and terror filled gazes that followed. "Now that that's taken care of, let's see what we're going to be involved in, Vega."

Honey brown and azure blue scanned the many pages, hoping to find their names for one of the plays being produced; a somewhat hidden desire was for one of them to be paired up with a certain green eyed boy didn't pass their thoughts either. After a few moments, the girls would find their targets:

 **Tori Vega- Megara (Hercules)**

 **Jade West- Princess Jasmine (Aladdin)**

Both were equally surprised at the roles they received, but there was something else that equally surprised them.

* * *

 **"Meticulous planning, tenacity spanning**

 **Decades of denial is simply why I'll**

 **Be king undisputed, respected, saluted**

 **And seen for the wonder I am"**

The other students involved with the productions watched in awe as Liam seemed to channel the very character of Scar, meshing entitlement, rage, and insanity into his essence. His eyes held a degree of crazy that impressed the chosen director, a young man by the name of Eric, along with Andre & Cat who watched as the boy began to wrap things up.

 **Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared-**

 **Be prepared!**

 **Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared-**

His rendition of the song "Be Prepared" was then interrupted by the main door to the Black box theatre being kicked open by the boot of one Jade West. Everyone turned to observe the indifference on her face, including a confused (yet, still worried) Liam. Gulping, he remained frozen in place on the stage as the music concluded in the background.

"Oh, Liam," she called out to him in a sing-song tone; never good. "Might I have a word with you?"

At that moment, his body seemed to shift into auto-pilot as he instinctively dashed to the back of the stage, looking for the rear exit. As expected, Jade smirked darkly and gave chase, relishing the nature of their relationship. With the two gone, Eric adjusted his glasses and turned to the cast. "Well, that's was a fantastic case of playing Scar in the musical sense, for what lasted at least." After exploding through his means of escape, Liam's mind shifted into gear trying to figure out what he did to have to be hunted down by the more deadly girlfriend.

'What a day...' he mentally groaned to himself. 'I haven't even had the chance to see what production Sikowitz even cast me in yet, and now my scissor happy girlfriend is trying to catch and/or torture me.'

Speaking of which, he could hear the familiar creepy tone of Jade behind him, though she wasn't in sight yet. For his safety, he turned the corner only to feel a hand pulling him into a dark room, shutting it behind him. He was going to yell out in horror only to feel said hand clamp over his mouth. Unable to say a word, he watched quietly as the only the loud footsteps, no doubt Jade's, stopped at the door only to rush off, growing fainter with each passing second. Liam could feel a wave of relief fill him but suddenly remembered the unknown figure holding him.

"Sorry, Liam." the feminine voice let out a giggle that he recognized. The girl turned on the light and revealed herself to be his sweet and adorable girlfriend, Tori smiling at him in the Janitor's closet.

"Geez, what's with you two lately?" he chuckled. "First, Jade interrupts my demonstration of Scar and has me practically on a safari hunt or something-" His rant was cut off when Tori grabbed the collar of his Legend of Zelda t-shirt and pulled him into a passionate kiss. While it was quite normal for Liam and Tori to sneak kisses, what caught him off guard was how intense it was becoming, as evident in her behavior. In the heat of the moment, he could feel her teeth clamp down around his bottom lip just enough to send a jolt through him. His thoughts were lost as she slipped a hand under his shirt, fingers gracefully caressing his toned torso. Her soft moans were like a symphony to him as he too engaged further by holding her close to his body, both hands cupping her soft ass. While she still was slim, she had grown a bit in her own right. She had clear curves that were only accentuated when she was wearing anything form fitting. Giving them a gentle squeeze, they reluctantly parted, staring at one another with lust filled orbs.

With the quiet only making things awkward for them, Tori thought it best to speak up. "Sorry..." she whispered, not looking directly at him. "I don't know know what came over me."

Liam took her hand, giving it a soft squeeze in an attempt to get her attention. When that failed, he lifted her chin until she was facing him again. Still feeling the effects of euphoria from their make-out session, Tori took in even the most minute detail of her boyfriend, from the texture of his shirt to the rhythm of his heartbeat as she rested a hand on his chest. "I'm not mad, Tori." his voice had an immediate calming effect on her though she could feel the sensations of longing and desire holding strong. "I am curious about what's gotten into you myself."

Tori's cheeks began to shift into a rosy complexion while resting her head on his chest, content when he wrapped his arms around her. "Would you believe me if I told you that it relates to us right now?" Sensing his confusion, she continued. "Jade's not mad at you, Liam. She actually wanted to talk with you about the play situation."

"What play situation? I haven't even seen the casting list yet."

Hearing this, Tori stared at the boy with a questionable look. "You haven't yet? So you don't know anything?"

"Pretty much, no. But why don't you fill me in," nodding, Tori took his hand and headed towards the door only to be pulled back into the arms of her boyfriend. "after we finish here."

Before she could speak, Liam placed his lips softly on her own once again thrusting her into the inner depths of her soul; awakening a sensual beast that had laid dormant for so long. Her mind shut down as his fingers became entwined in her brown locks and her lust began to drive her mad with passion and desire as she gripped his shirt once again, deepening the kiss. Gone were their inhibitions, only desire remaining as they soon found themselves continuing their emotional exhibition. Tori Vega felt herself being pressed against the wall of the closet, her frame supported by a (thankfully clean) upside down trash can. She reached over blindly, fiddling around until she managed to find the light switch and turned it off.

"Liam," she moaned only to have her lips captured by his once again. This time, the couple would find themselves free to do whatever they pleased. The only light source, courtesy of the brightly lit hallway was enough for them to see the truth behind the other's eyes. Tori's eyes bled insatiable desire while understanding and mutuality held strong within Liam's. With the students mostly gone for the day, there was nobody who could stop them. Nobody except...

"There you are!"

"Jade?!" The two called out, one in shock while the latter was a mix of fear and desperation.

Lips curling into a smile, she tucked her purple tipped hair behind her ear before leaning against the door frame. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here." she scanned the room then cut her eyes back to the concerned significant others. "Not only do I find Liam's hiding place, but I find Vega trying to get a little brown sugar without me?" Jade put on a mock hurt face while placing a hand on her breast. "I don't if I'm more hurt or impressed. But I do know one thing," The two faced one another, unsure of the depths of Jade's wrath nor how worried they should be. "you two are going to have all the personal time you can handle this weekend, on my terms, of course, Prince Ali."

* * *

As the week progressed, Liam had found out that he was indeed cast as Aladdin opposite Jade, but only after explaining that he was randomly picked to audition as an understudy for the role of Scar. While understanding, Jade didn't forget the fact that both he and Tori were in trouble, according to her. Now they both stood in front of the West residence on a Friday night, visibly gulping at what Jade had planned for them. Jade had called in 'sick' to the director so Ahrya filled in the role as she was the understudy which left him to give Tori a ride to her [Jade's] home. Knowing Jade, things were going to get interesting; whether that was a positive or not was unknown.

"Are you sure we should do this?" She bit her lip nervously. "I mean, maybe we could just pretend your car broke down and we spent the night at your place?"

While it was a clever idea, both knew that there was a longing behind her words.

"While I'd agree, I don't think it would end well for us." he sighed heavily. "Remember, it was Jade hunting me that got us into this. By the way, my bad."

"It's no problem. At least we get to face this together."

Lifting a fist, he gazed at her with a soft smile. "Always looking at the bright side."

The sounds of his fist hammering the door didn't last very long. After the first four knocks, the door appeared to open by itself, revealing a dimly lit room and even though their heads were screaming for them to run away, their resolve forced them to press forward. Tori entered first, Liam right behind her when the door shut behind them but there was nobody there when the two turned around.

"If you're looking for me, come upstairs." her voice, enchanting yet haunting, was met with compliance as the two headed to Jade's room. Once inside, they found themselves surrounded by soothing music and a candlelit bedroom. Both were surprised to find that, aside from the occasional goth or punk rock poster, there was practically no tale-tell sign that this was Jade West's room. "Once you've finished gawking, I suggest you both get undressed." Turning around, Tori and Liam would find themselves in front of their host. Face adorned with purple eyeshadow and lipstick, Jade was dressed like a dominatrix, clad in a pair of skintight liquid latex leggings, and a matching sleeveless top. Wearing black arm sleeves that contrasted her skin perfectly, she savored the feeling and look of both seduction and intimidation exuding from her. "It's going to be a long night."

Liam and Tori knew that their fates were sealed as their lover shut the bedroom door behind her.

* * *

Throughout the night, only a few students remained within the four walls of Hollywood Arts. In Sikowitz's classroom, two, in particular, were working their hardest to grasp the musical aspect of their roles.

"Are you sure you want to try this song out right now? We've been at it since Tuesday."

"Yes! I've always loved this song when I was a kid!" a high pitched giggled response tickled the boy's ears. "Come on, Andre. Please?"

He couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay, Kitty. We'll practice it."

Clapping her hands playfully, Cat Valentine bounced on the stool next to Andre Harris who began playing the opening part. At first, he simply hummed the more comical portion but, he stopped when he felt her hand placed on top of his. "No, play it too." she pouted. The angelic tone nearly made Andre's heart drop as he nodded. It was clear that his feelings for her hadn't diminished in the least, not that he wanted it to either.

 **I can see what's happening (What?)**  
 **And they don't have a clue (Who?)**  
 **They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line**  
 **Our trio's down to two.**  
 **(Oh.)**

Doing his best to mimic the characters, Andre was rewarded by the dazzling smile of his crush. Desperate for it to last, he continued.

 **The sweet caress of twilight**  
 **There's magic everywhere**  
 **And with all this romantic atmosphere**  
 **Disaster's in the air**

As he finished, he expected his crush to playfully sing along but, instead was met with a sultry lullaby when she opened her mouth.

Can you feel the love tonight?

The peace the evening brings

The world, for once, in perfect harmony

With all its living things

Captivated, he just kept playing as he stared at the red haired girl in amazement to which she responded by mirroring his expression. It wasn't until he noticed her lips drop into a puzzled frown that he stopped playing entirely.

"Are you okay, Andre?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah..." he lied while averting his eyes to something, anything other than her star like eyes. "I just um... I forgot my cue, that's all."

A part of him was somewhat grateful that Cat could be clueless at times, hoping this would only add to that list.

"That's not like you though." she noted softly.

'Crap baskets!' he mentally screamed. "First time for everything, right?" he rubbed his neck, finally noticing how sweaty his palms were.

Cat wasn't believing a word of it though. "I guess. I think you're hiding something." she crossed her arms like a stubborn five-year-old. "I think you have a secret girlfriend."

"Secret girlfriend?!" Andre was growing more and more bewildered at her deductive abilities. "Why would you say that, Cat?"

Tapping her chin, Andre watched as she seemed to calculate her next response. "Well, there was that one time when you were into Tanya Henningsworth and you were acting weird for a while week." He just stared at her, blinking silently. "I remember that you were into Erica, Laura, Emily, Rebecca, and Courtney too. You were acting weird around that time as well."

"I really don't know if that's right, Cat." clearly rattled, he began adjusting the sheet music as a means of distracting her but found it all in vain.

"Who is it now?"

Andre froze, his body stuck as he looked at her. Her eyes were so big and adorable that it just drove him mad and yet, there was a feeling of relief; relief that he now had an open window to admit how he felt about her. His mouth opened but no words came out prompting Cat to stand up and begin to leave. He reached out, barely grazing her sleeve with his fingertips. It was enough though as he observed her turning back to face him, an unreadable expression etched on her features. This was his moment. He needed to tell her... Opening his mouth, he managed to get something out.

A burp...

Both stared at the other, wide-eyed and horrified as the scent of pickles and chocolate drink filled the immediate air.

"You jerk!" she yelled before rushing out of the room.

Andre just sat there, stunned. His brown eyes remained on the spot where Cat formerly stood, unwilling to rip himself away.

"Great, Andre. Just great." he slouched against the wall and just replayed the scenario in his mind, hoping to find some stability in his ever crumbling emotions.

* * *

"How are my favorite lovers feeling?" Jade taunted while entering her bedroom to the sight of her significant others on top of her Queen sized bed. "I trust you two have been enjoying your alone time?" Her ears were filled with the sounds of muffled moans and incoherent words; music to her ears. "That's what I love to hear."

She stepped further inside to observe the duo's predicament. Tori and Liam were currently bound back to back while being forcibly stimulated by vibrators stuck inside their underwear. Mouths sealed with one of her scarves and eyes blindfolded completed their current dress. Jade wasn't lying when she said that she wanted to teach them a lesson and it was paying dividends as she traced a finger over their shivering forms. It had been almost an hour of the sexual torture and Jade West was only getting started. She kissed Liam's earlobe, one of his weaknesses, and relished how he squirmed under her touch, begging for release.

"Don't worry, tiger. You'll get what's coming to you." she cooed softly in his ear before turning her attention to one Tori Vega, who seemed to be hunched over as she felt herself nearing her peak. "Awww, I can only imagine what you're feeling right now. I bet you wish it were Liam making you feel this good, don't you?" A nod, followed by a soft whimper gave the dominating girl the satisfaction she craved. "Maybe you will. He isn't for little kids though, Tori."

Bopping her nose with a finger, Jade chuckled deviously before beginning to change her clothes. While both were under the belief that she would be handling them tonight, the gothic domme had other plans it seemed. Removing the tight clothing, she proceeded to put on her traditional combo, a black graphic tee and matching skirt along with her signature combat boots.

"While I would love to play with you two tonight, there's a new movie coming out that I've been dying to see." This prompted a duel "Huh?" from her restrained S/O's. "So, I'm going to help you two into my bed, and let you both think about your crimes against me. I'll come back later and maybe, I'll untie you both afterward. Deal?"

The collective pleas of 'no' and 'don't' filled the room but it all fell on deaf ears as their girlfriend turned captor giggled. While she was still upset with them, she was kind enough to tie the two facing each other before lying them down.

"Now be good and no fooling around in my bed." she playfully scolded them. "Oh, Liam! I'll be using your car to get to the midnight premier. You don't mind do you?" His reply was a low grunt to which she responded with a soft kiss to his temple before exiting the room. "I know. I know, baby. I'll fill the tank up on my way back." she waved to the blind duo. "Sleep well."

The moans faded behind her as Jade left her home locked and secured. Stepping into the vehicle, she was content with her form of vengeance while pulling out of the driveway, keen on seeing the late night showing of the remake of 'IT'.


	19. Chapter 16

**Hello again and welcome to another chapter of Demons Within. It seems that I have a bit of explaining to do. Well, let's start with the simple part first: Andre and Cat. Well, compared to the other relationships, this one is a lot more simplistic. After the events of Yerba, Andre realized his feelings for Cat and it seems that there is a little something bubbling in her as well. However, with her unpredictable nature, the former is finding it difficult given his history with dating. Combine that with the fact that the two are close friends, there seem to be more obstacles holding Andre back from just asking the girl out. As of now, Cat is being... well Cat. In the last chapter, she was visibly disgusted with him burping in her face, but there was no true harm done. Will Andre be able to get himself together or will he give up on his pursuit altogether?**

 **Now onto the more complex relationship: Jade, Liam, and Tori.**

 **Well, there are a few things that I felt needed to be addressed as we progress further. Tori and Jade have agreed that instead of playing this game of 'who's better', they would both tread into uncharted territory and form a polyamorous relationship. By eliminating the need to choose between them, Liam is able to grow more without the issues of potentially playing one against the other. Now, we come to the current roles involving the trio. Liam is still getting used to the relationship while also dealing with changes in his own life. Tori, like Liam, is adjusting pretty well to one aspect of the relationship while still exhibiting concern about the other, Jade. Unsure if she's capable of crossing the proverbial line, she tries to keep things as straightforward but appears to be warming up to the idea that this style of relationship involves all sides, not just one.** **Speaking of Jade, she's obviously the more aggressive in context of the relationship purely. While Tori brings a more gentle side, Jade portrays a more free mindset that one is just now accepting and the other readjusting to it.**

 **While it may seem that she's a nympho, I wanted to show that it's much more than just sexual desire but her brand of helping the two to understand that this new step in their lives isn't just about themselves but the three as one unit. That's why I had the last chapter conclude the way it did. On the surface, it looks like Jade's just trying to control or dominate the relationship but actually, she was showing Tori that certain things require the three to come together rather than just her. While in polyamory there are moments where two within the relationship can go off alone, there are still things that need to be addressed so that they have a full understanding.**

 **Well, enough of my rambling. I thank you all for your love and support of Demons Within. I will touch more on Beck's story and the mystery of who's spying on Liam. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 16: Heavy Pleas and Scarlet Keys**

 _"The secret to change is to focus all of your energy,_

 _not on fighting the old,_

 _but building the new."_

 _-Socrates_

After the events of the night before, Liam let out a silent yawn, the effects of a good night sleep evident as he stretched his arms. His eyes shot open at this realization of freedom of his limbs. Though relieved, he also raised an eyebrow as to what was going on. Rubbing his head, he scanned his surroundings, noticing that he was still in Jade's room; her bed to be exact.

"So last night did happen." he yawned again.

"You bet it did, tiger."

His ears perked up, alerting him of the one who put him in that predicament. He would find Jade, along with a still groggy, but dressed Tori, leaning against the wall. Several emotions began to surface, from frustration to confusion but he simply closed his eyes and started taking slow deliberate breaths to calm himself. "You feel good about what you did, Jade?" he huffed.

"Not necessarily, but I see it had a lasting effect on you." she crossed her arms. "I did put some gas in the car if that's what you're referring to."

He growled at the girl, a sign that he was near his cap level for Jade's antics. "You know damn well-!" tossing the covers off of his body, he found himself stopped by Tori who now stood in between the two. "Tori?" he looked at the girl, completely stunned at the resolve on her face.

"Listen, I know you're upset at Jade for that," she cocked her head. "interesting night, but trust me when I tell you, it was for a good reason."

Liam's eyes grew to comic proportions as his gaze darted between her and Jade. "What are you talking about?"

"She did it to teach us a valuable lesson. This thing between us, it isn't just something we can make up as we go along. Though her way of showing was a bit wild," she flashed a glare at the goth who simply threw her hands up in resignation. "She did remind us of something when we all agreed to this: It's no longer Tori Vega vs Jade West anymore. You shouldn't have to choose who gets your attention anymore when it's all for one. We are all in this relationship together and there were some things that she and I agree on."

Liam nodded calmly, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "What did you two agree on, exactly?"

"For starters, while we are free to engage with each other, nobody else is allowed in this." he understood that one. "It's essentially like a standard relationship but we can split off like you and I but when it comes to certain things like leaving one out of an important moment like what happened this past week."

He remembered quite well the earlier events that unfolded between him and Tori, the dorky grin on his face was proof of that. The look in her eyes that evening was a sudden change of pace and a whole new light. Much like Jade's sensitive side, it was her way of opening up to him and showing unconditional trust. Of course, something else was noticeable as well. The way she grew more and more aggressive with him in the janitor's closet

"Wow," Tori's soft gasp broke him from his thoughts.

"In the light, I think it's bigger than I thought."

Cocking his head, Liam found the two girls staring at something in his general direction, due south. Slowly following their gazes, he finally realized that he was in nothing but his full glory. Not only that, but he was also at full attention, an observation that didn't get past them. He barely suppressed the urge to yell out of embarrassment, especially when he found it nearly impossible to cover up the aforementioned erection.

"Awww, it won't go down?" he flashed a glare, muttering something that went unheard. "What was that? You'd like some help with that?"

Liam opened his mouth to protest but was stopped by none other than Tori who was grinning rather deviously. She watched as his normally brown cheeks morphed into a rose shade. Not one to be deterred, Tori initiated contact, lunging at the defenseless boy who, fortunately, fell on the bed behind them. Capturing his mouth with her own, she interlocked their fingers as a frenzy of emotions poured out. Liam's head was spinning but things weren't complete just yet as, while Tori laid on top of him, he felt something warm envelop his exposed member. Common sense reminded him that they weren't alone when Jade let out an affectionate moan.

The last thought that formed resulted in him mentally rolling his eyes in both amusement and pleasure. 'This is going to be a long day.'

* * *

Dread.

That's what Andre felt as he trudged down the street. His mind wouldn't let him live down the awkward moment with one Cat Valentine. He was currently walking in the park, lost in his mind when a familiar face appeared in the distance. "Liam?" He squinted at the steadily approaching figure only for him to pass him by and dive into some bushes nearby.

"Hey man. You okay?" a confused Andre asked only to be yanked behind the shrubs. "Ow! What the heck?"

"Shhhh!" Liam held a hand over his mouth.

Not really knowing what was going on, Andre would find his answer when two pairs of feet rushed past their hiding spot. "Where'd he go?" The first voice was obviously Tori's which meant that the other person had to be Jade. "I could swear he ran this way."

Andre slowly cuts his eyes back to Liam who had a horrified expression ornament his sweat-drenched face. Whatever happened between the three, it was clear that his friend was definitely going to be in for a rough time should they be spotted.

"Whatever, he couldn't have gotten too far. Let's head this way." her voice, filled with frustration with a hint of anger, trailed off as the two rushed off further down the street.

After a few more minutes passed, Liam and Andre stood up, picking out some stray leaves and branches from their clothes and hair.

"So," Andre broke the silence, dusting himself off in the process. "care to tell me what that was about?"

"Trust me, you want nothing to do with that craziness."

"Try me." He crossed his arms.

Liam's gaze flashed the words 'are you sure' to which he nodded. "To make a long story short, Jade and Tori caught me trying to sneak out of the house. Apparently, they laid claim to me this weekend, but," he cracked his neck. "I just need some space. It's only been a week since we've started dated and they've been keeping me, hostage, every chance they could." he chuckled.

"Amusing..." Andre rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed.

"What's your problem, 'Dre?"

"Sorry, Liam. I've just had a lot on my mind.

"Cat?" Andre stood there, mouth opening and closing like a fish. "Judging by your expression, I must be right." Picking out a twig from his hair, Liam took the lack of response as his answer. "You're wonky for Cat Valentine?"

"S-so what?"

"So, why don't you tell her, already. Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't said anything since leaving Yerba."

Liam was right, a fact that frustrated the already distressed boy. "Well, things have been complicated since then. I haven't really found the right moment to tell her. Besides with everything going on right now, I doubt that I'll get the opportunity to."

Not one to be taken for a fool, Liam glared at him. With arms crossed, he approached a now nervous Andre.

"So, if we forget that you two are in the same production, you're saying that you would tell her how you feel about her?"

With a cocky grin, he nodded. "Of course!"

"Good!" Liam nodded behind the boy. "Because here's your chance."

Andre gulped as he realized that he'd been baited into this unfortunate circumstance. He turned around to see the familiar red locks of one Cat Valentine who had was looking at the two with a large smile. "Hi, guys!" she waved at them

"Hi, guys!" she waved at them.

"Hey Cat!" Liam returned her enthusiasm. "How ya been?"

"Awesome!" she bounced up like a child getting their first Christmas gift. "I was feeling a bit lonely today but now, I've found you! I saw Robbie and Ahrya but," her lips curled south. "they said they were busy with something for class. I haven't seen Tori but, I think Jade was heading this way. She didn't look happy though."

That was all Liam needed to hear. "Listen, if Jade or Tori come past here, don't tell her that I'm over by the lake, Cat. We're playing 'hide-and-seek' and they're supposed to be finding me." With that said, he made a mad dash through the bushes once more leaving the two alone. Andre swallowed the lump in his throat, a bead of sweat dripping from his forehead. He wasn't prepared for this day, let alone this moment.

"So, umm..."

"Where is he?!" The two nearly jumped out of their skin when they caught the sight of a pissed off Jade West stomping in their direction. "I know he's here and if you two don't tell me where he is, so help me..." she seethed at the two.

"He's at the east lake hiding from you," Cat spoke up, though timidly. Jade's fury filled gaze turned to the smaller girl who was now fiddling with shirt sleeve; a clear sign of fear and worry which meant that she was telling the truth. "I didn't think you'd be so upset about losing a game of 'hide-and-seek'."

Looking at her with a confused scowl, Jade shook it off as Cat being random again and rushed past her and Andre without so much as another word. It was only once she was completely out of sight did they finally exhale. While both were somewhat friendly with the goth, her temper was still something that neither was equipped to handle. Once the tense aura cleared, Andre opened his mouth to speak.

"I don't know what's going on, but I kind of feel sorry for the guy." He sincerely huffed, to which Cat nodded in agreement. "Lord knows what she's going to do to him when she catches him; Tori too, for that matter."

"I think you mean IF they catch me?"

Andre nearly jumped out of his skin when his friend appeared in between him and his crush. "What the-? Where the hell did you come from?" He clutched at his heart while his face contorted into a horrified expression.

"From the tree above." he pointed up to a large branch that hung overhead. "I've been hiding up there since I left."

Cat looked at Liam questionably. "I thought you were going to the lake?"

"Oh, I did, but I doubled back and climbed this tree." he chuckled softly. "I'm glad I did after hearing you tell Jade where I was heading." Clutching his side, Liam turned to the lover of red velvet cupcakes. "So, did Andre tell you yet?

Not amused, Andre stepped next to Cat, a look of concern on his face.

"Aren't you concerned about getting caught. You know she's pretty ticked off at you, man." Liam shook his head. "I can't even imagine what she or Tori are going to do to you."

"Tori's probably going to give me a lecture about not sneaking off without them." he crossed his arms and carefully thought about Andre's comment. "Jade? She could pummel me within an inch of my life, steal my clothes while I'm asleep, record me doing something awkward and humiliating... and that's just the non-sexual stuff, um," he paused when he saw that both Andre and Cat were looking like they had seen a ghost. "What are you guys looking like that?" It was then that Liam noticed that they weren't looking directly at him, but past him and there was only one thing (or in this case person) who could incite such a look of uneasiness and angst from any soul. "Jade's behind me, isn't she?" he sighed.

"Oh, please continue." he slowly turned to find her with a devilish smirk on her lips drop into an intense scowl. "I could use some new ideas."

As she stalked closer to Liam, the feeling of confidence instantly melted away while he held his hands up cautiously. Whatever was going to happen, it was evident that it was not going to be pleasant for the guy. The two eyed one another, careful not to attract the wrath of Jade who had a fist full of Liam's collar. He managed to eke out an "I'm sorry" though it did little to quell her anger. She mouthed something along the lines of "You'll be forgiven" as she pulled him away.

"Let's go, Tiger! We need to find Tori and figure out your punishment."

With one last glance of desperation, Liam and Jade soon were gone, leaving Andre and Cat alone once more. The former leaned against the tree, thankful that he nor Cat were the unlucky victims. In contrast, Cat stared at the relieved boy with a soft frown.

"Andre?" she squeaked out. "What did you want to tell me?"

Dread.

That familiar feeling resonated in his core when he noticed the trepidation behind those usually warm brown eyes; he made a note that, if Jade and Tori didn't, he would give Liam a good piece of his mind. Andre pushed off of the tree, averting his gaze towards anything other than Cat's beautiful face. "I uh, I wanted to first say that I'm sorry about the other night during practice. I was just nervous about,"

Somehow, the usually scatterbrained girl picked up on the direction of the conversation. "What were you nervous about, Andre?"

Though he hated to admit it right now, he absolutely loved the way she said his name. He couldn't be distracted right now, however. He licked his lips anxiously. He rubbed his jittery palms together. He tried to quick breathing exercises. Nothing seemed to calm his rapidly beating heart. When his eyes finally rested on Cat's worried face, he was reminded of that night. From the butterflies flying in his belly to the pounding to his chest, he knew one thing had to change.

He couldn't let what happened that night, occur again.

"I was nervous because... well," he inhaled and steeled his focus. "I like you Cat."

He expected for her to look surprised but, to his own shock, she was now smiling that smile he loved so much.

"I like you too, Andre!" He stuck a finger in his ear; had he heard her correctly? Did she just admit that she felt the same way about him?

"Really?" he cursed himself for the eagerness in his voice.

She nodded with a warm smile. "Mhmm..."

Andre almost pinched himself but stopped short just in case this was indeed a dream. "How long have you felt this way?"

Now it was Cat's turn to exhibit signs of nervousness as a deep blush settled on her face. "I've liked you for a long time, before Yerba."

All the two could do was just stare at one another for a moment, a slow grin forming on their lips.

The only question now was, where did they go from here.

* * *

Beck groaned softly, his head pounding.

From what you might ask?

Though his vision was blurry, he could make out that there was someone in his bed next to him. He also realized that while he usually slept with no shirt on, he could feel the feather touch of his covers on his bare skin below the waist.

"What happened last night?" he rubbed his temples lightly, fruitlessly trying to soothe the skull cracking pain.

A soft yawn dragged his attention to the young woman next to him. Her caramel skin was smooth and her long brown hair was like water cascading on the bed.

"Afternoon, sexy." even her voice was like angels singing. "sleep well?"

Beck grinned like an idiot at the question but, froze when he suddenly recognized the voice. Staring wide-eyed at the now smiling woman in his bed.

"You? What are you doing in my bed?!" he roared furiously.

"Awww, you weren't asking that last night, baby." she caressed his rugged face only to have him pull away as if her palm held the flames of hell itself. "What's got you so upset, sweetie? You invited me over, remember?"

She watched in twisted amusement at how deep his grimace went. "We both know that this is not why I called you... It was strictly business."

The woman draped an arm around his shoulders, her fingers dancing up and down his torso in a teasing fashion. "Well we could call it business for you," she kissed his cheek, her lips like a poison that paralyzed Beck where he sat. He didn't resist her current advances as she continued to indulge herself with her compliant partner. "and pleasure for me."

Beck grits his teeth at this, his soul disturbed at the events that transpired the previous night. "It's bad enough that you're even here, to begin with, but what'll happen if he finds out you're doing this behind his back? They trusted you..."

His words were silenced by a finger placed on his lips. "What they don't know won't hurt anyone, unless you open your mouth."

While her words were sweet and soft in his ears, Beck felt like vomiting. Her words carried a great deal of guilt and shame that made him feel like burying himself twelve feet deep in the ground. By now, he'd still not moved from his spot on the edge of the bed. He could hear the sounds of clothes rustling, the only solace he could find at this point. He knew there was a special place in hell for people like him.

"Well, as much as I'd love to stick around, I have to get back before anybody calls me. I do want you to keep an eye out for Liam and report anything out of the ordinary to me. Understand, love?"

Not waiting for a response, the mysterious woman leaned in and planted her lips roughly against Beck's, not caring if he reciprocated the gesture. With a smug giggle, she ignored the dirty glare he sent in her direction and departed from his RV, making sure to put an extra sway in her hips.

As if a spell had been broken, Beck fin himself capable of mobility, choosing to put on his boxers that were sitting at the foot of the bed. Once those were on, he sighed heavily and fell back on the bed, his eyes glaring at the metallic ceiling. So many thoughts ran through his mind, none of them pleasant as he could swear that he was feeling his soul rot within him.

How and when did this happen?

When did this start?

What was he going to do?

Should he tell someone?

Who could he tell?

All these questions passed in his brain like a game of pong on the highest speed level but there was one thought that Beck managed to grasp a handle on. It was a declaration that brought both chaos and peace to him as he grinned bitterly to himself.

"I'm dead..."

* * *

 **Alright, quick little authors note:**

 **I know where this is heading and I'd like to say that I am sorry for leaving this chapter on another cliffhanger. In my defense, I wasn't planning on do this. Originally, the chapter was going to end on Andre and Cat's interaction but, like most things, I was struck with inspiration about Beck's separate storyline. I wanted to at least touch on it but had no other way to introduce this portion without it coming off as forced until I started writing that little nugget.**

 **In this storyline, he is (obviously) involved with the spying on Liam, Jade, & Tori but this is actually an add-on which means that he wasn't the one spying on Liam in the past chapter when the three formed their relationship nor in the last chapter when Liam was chasing the individual in the hallway (that was obviously a girl lol). So the question is: Where does Beck fit in and who are the two others involved? I've left clues in the last few chapters including this one that will either lead you to the answer or distract you from the true identity. **

**Finally, despite the quickness of Andre and Cat, there will be much more to come in terms of development and progression. I'm not just ending things here. The two will have much more interactions that will give them much deserved spotlight and attention throughout the story. For now, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and be on the lookout for the next one coming very soon.**


	20. Chapter 17

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 17: Redemption of a Demon...**

The weekend passed and the students of Hollywood Arts were back for another week of educational and performance advancement. The Monday back was typically what you expected from everyone but once the final bell struck, it was a different story. Anyone who was involved with in the plays showed their eagerness to do well whether it was rehearsing musical numbers or the lines themselves.

Andre and Cat were allowed to practice their lines and work on chemistry in Sikowitz's classroom. Combine the fact that they were Simba and Nala, only seemed to make things a bit easier for the two friends. That's right, despite admitting their feelings, both agreed to let things play out naturally rather than jump into a major relationship blindly.

Tori, though was upset that Liam wasn't in her play, remained focused her role as Meg in Hercules; made possible by the agreement that she could have a personal date with Liam at a time and place of her choosing.

Beck, Ahrya, and Robbie were cast in the production of "West Side Story" as Tony, Maria, and Bernardo respectively. Despite the awkwardness, given the relationship between the latter, Robbie was always reminded that this was a play and that she was all his when the curtains closed.

This left, of course, Jade and Liam.

The two were currently in the music room going over one of the scenes leading to the iconic duet. At the piano was one of the musicians assigned to the production who waited patiently for her cue.

"Uh, you're right. You aren't just some prize to be won." Liam looked and sounded genuinely disappointed." You should be free to make your own choice. Jade looked confused at him."I'll go now." He stepped off of the seat, simulating him walking off the edge of the princess' balcony.

"No!" she cried only to find him looked around as if nothing was wrong.

"What? What?"

Looking amazed, Jade slowly walked to Liam's spot." How-how are you doing that?" Pretending to look over a ledge, she pretended to see the magic carpet her boyfriend would be riding. She silently giggled at the word. 'Boyfriend', she still couldn't get enough of saying that.

They continued running the lines up to the point that held increased symbolism for the lovers.

"Is it safe?" timidity laced her tone.

"Sure. Do you trust me?"

Turning to face him, she saw not a smirk but a look on his face that she read as sincerity. "What?"

"Do you trust me?" he held his hand out to her, a smile that made her melt inside on his face.

As she took his hand, she slyly grinned back and the accompanist began playing.

 **I can show you the world**

 **Shining, shimmering, splendid.**

 **Tell me, princess,**

 **now when did you last l** **et your heart decide?**

Jade watched as he gazed at her, his emerald gems locking her inside a world of honesty and intimacy.

 **I can open your eyes,**

 **Take you wonder by wonder**

 **Over, sideways, and under, on a magic carpet ride.**

Taking her hands into his own, he led her around the room as if they were actually traveling the world.

 **A whole new world**

 **A new fantastic point of view**

 **No one to tell us no,**

 **or where to go,**

 **or say we're only dreaming**

As he finished, Jade placed a hand on his cheek, pulling him away from their imaginary world and into the frontier of her soul.

 **A whole new world**

 **A dazzling place I never knew**

 **But when I'm way up here,**

 **It's crystal clear, that now I'm in a whole new world with you**

The pianist started to play a bit harder to give the tone a bit more magnitude which suited the couple just fine. They pressed on with the song, each giving their all to the part they played. After the big climax, the tone settled down, from strong and passionate to soft and elegant. By now Liam and Jade were lost in each other's gazes, a collective grouping of pain, recovery, and now love.

Their minds took them to their first day meeting one another.

Having to go to 'therapy' with Lane.

From being forced to perform with each other to the events of Yerba, everything they've endured with one another was pouring out into this one song.

 **I'll chase them anywhere**

 **There's time to spare**

 **Let me share this whole new world with you**

Liam pressed his forehead against hers, a feeling of desire radiating from him.

 **A whole new world**

 **Is where we'll be**

 **Liam: A thrilling chase**

 **Jade: A wondrous place**

 **For you and me**

Even as the music died down, the two remained like that for an unknown amount of time, each content to remain there. This sense of peace, that could only be felt with one other person, flowed through them like water down a stream; it was natural. It wasn't until the sounds of someone clearing their voice caught their ears, did they pull apart.

"Sorry about that, Ms. Hennigan." he laughed awkwardly while Jade looked at the ground with arms crossed under her breasts. "We kind of got lost in the moment."

The gray-haired woman simply grinned in both defeat and amazement. "It's alright, dear." she waved it off. "I'm used to seeing this on a regular basis. Now, I believe you have this number down so I'll tell the Erwin that you both don't have to come in for more personal rehearsal unless you want to."

Liam nodded while Jade continued to stare at the ground, still embarrassed about what had just occurred.

"Ms. West?" the woman looked on, amused when the girls head darted up in shock. "While I understand that you may be feeling a bit weird, I assure you, it's perfectly fine to be open about your feelings."

Nodding without so much as a snarky retort, the elder woman fixed her gaze upon a concerned Liam. "I'd like to speak with Jade privately for a moment if you don't mind."

Blinking for a few seconds, he complied but not before giving Jade a quick kiss on her forehead to which she blushed profusely.

With Jade and Ms. Hennigan now alone, the former was ushered to have a seat next to her.

"What did you want to speak about?" a bit of her old self appearing on instinct, though Ms. Hennigan didn't take offence to the tone.

"Jade, how do you feel about him?" she asked in a soothing manner.

"Isn't it obvious? We love each other..." she sized up the teacher in a way that expressed how creeped out she was about having this conversation.

Ms. Hennigan didn't accept that answer and shook her head to indicate that. "That's not what I asked. I'm curious about how you feel about that young man and, while it's clear that you both care a tremendous deal for one another, I can tell that you're holding back." Shock and awe covered Jade's face only to be followed by remorse. "I'm not going to pry, but I want to tell you this," she took the pale hand of Jade West, attaining her undivided attention in the process. "I may not know exactly what you've done specifically, but don't carry your old self into something new. Sometimes, you have to lose some things in order to find everything that's you've been searching for."

Speechless was the only word that could describe Jade right now, if only for a moment. "Wha- What do you know?" she stomped towards the door.

"I know that you're so close to true happiness, but you're also dancing with wolves in an attempt to protect your heart." the teacher, somehow, retained her composure and pointed to the door. "I've watched that young man ever since he was first enrolled here and I know that he is completely in love with you and Ms. Vega. I've also noticed that she's more open around him where you're still hiding something. I've been where you are now but I made the wrong choice." Gone was the 'high and mighty' glare from the pale skinned girl. "I swear I won't press the matter any further but, just allow yourself to be vulnerable or you could wind up where I am now."

Raising an eyebrow, Jade looked at the woman who's warm smile had shattered into a more bitter form. "Like you? But you're doing what you love to do, aren't you?"

The aging woman wiped her eyes, fighting back a few drops that dared form on the corner of her eyes. "Yes, I am. But I could've actually been doing this with someone very special to me but," Azure crystals saw the woman again wiping her eyes. "I tried to 'protect' my heart but lost the man who did nothing but love me even when I had nothing much to offer him but myself." her hands shook just slightly, though enough for Jade to notice the distress emanating from her teacher. "We dated for a while and things were nice until something came up and I reverted back to my untrusting ways. I assumed that every little thing he did was to hurt me or make me feel inferior and I retaliated. For months he put up with me and loved me but, eventually I broke things off with him due to someone from his past resurfacing. I freaked out and told him to get lost and never trusted again..."

"Wow. I'm sorry." Jade whispered, worry deep in her voice. "Didn't you try and get him back?"

"I did. I found out, about a month or so later, that he moved to New York City shortly after our breakup. I made every attempt to contact him and even thought about taking my life's savings to move out there just to prove to him that I was truly remorseful." Then, her bitter smile dropped into a full-on glower, eyebrows knit tightly together in sorrow. "I found out in the paper that he'd been killed shortly after arriving in the city."

"I-I'm sorry..." it was clear that the woman's testimony had given her something to think about. No. There was nothing to think about now.

"Don't be sorry, child." the woman sniffed. "The way I see things, my life is a testament to those like you. If I can help you find or keep happiness, then I feel I can make up for my own mistakes. It's rough dear, but don't give up on something just because it's a little painful. If it's worth it, it won't come easy. If it's easy, then it may not be worth it." Seeing Jade's face soften, Ms. Hennigan managed to regain her warm smile. "Now, go on and remember what I said, Princess Jasmine."

Hearing the name of her character, Jade smiled at the teacher, mouthing the words 'Thank you' before stepping out of the room. To her surprise, she found Liam leaning against the wall near the door, fast asleep. She studied how tranquil he looked and felt her heart steadily beating with serenity. 'He looks so adorable.' she thought to herself. 'It would be a shame if...' at that moment, she stopped her thoughts, playing back the words of her concerned teacher.

"...don't carry your old self into something new. Sometimes, you have to lose some things in order to find everything that's you've been searching for."

Jade meditated on those words, letting them sink deeper into her soul. As she did this, she heard the soft yawn of her boyfriend.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, worried.

She just stared at him blankly, the woman's story still fresh in her mind. Thoughts of what would happen if she just dropped Liam and Tori just to, in her idea. The consequences of breaking their hearts and the possibility of not being able to fix things only increased her anxiety. All of these things and more floored Jade who now had tears of her own fighting for release. On cue, Liam stepped forward to embrace her, but, she put a hand on his chest stopping him from doing so. While he stood there confused, the boy found himself being pulled into a kiss instead.

While used to passion and intensity in these moments, Liam felt something new behind the lip lock. He felt a tingle that, before now, had gone unnoticed flowing from her into him. As she cupped his face to deepen it, he could feel her love, her pain, aspirations, and more. He took in her scent, cinnamon, and apples filling his nose. The taste of her lips mirrored that smell as they pushed to levels never thought possible. He could hear the slightest sounds of her sniffling and innocence behind her moans as he pulled her closer but, there was something missing: Lust.

When the need for oxygen arrived, they both pulled away and just watched the other in comfortable silence. On Liam's face, a shocked expression but, Jade's was unreadable. Normally there was a certain gleam in her eye or a spark that either declared her claim over him or her need for some form of sexual encounter, outside of actual intercourse. Though he was looking at his girlfriend, it was like staring at a total stranger.

"I don't know what I did to deserve that, but I'm grateful."

Jade shook her head, furthering his confusion. "You didn't have to do anything, Liam." she smiled despite the free-flowing tears. "Just don't give up on me, okay?" Resting her head against his chest, she felt a new wave of warmth and tranquility overtake her when she felt his arms wrap around her frame.

"I promise, Jade." his voice, sweet like honey caused her to smile genuinely for the first time in a long time. "I'm in love with you."

Her eyes shot open at the impactful words. "Y-you what?"

Pulling away to a minor degree, she looked up at him, sapphire orbs dancing with curiosity.

"I believe I said, I'm in love with you, Jade." he chuckled.

If her smile got any bigger, it would split her face in half. "What about Tori?"

"I mean that too. You both are the most important people in my life and I can't hide that from you any longer."

'Okay, either this guy is a mind reader, or that woman's a fortune teller.' she juggled the options playfully, her heart completely aflutter with glee after hearing his confession. True, it includes Tori too but, she knew Liam wasn't the type to date someone he didn't legitimately care about.

"I guess we'd better go get her so you can show us how much you love us." she poked his chest playfully only for him to roll his eyes.

"Jade, I'm not doing anything sexual." he chuckled. "I still have rope burns from the other night."

"I meant let's watch some movies at Vega's place after we finish our homework. Sound good?" She batted her eyelashes.

He eyed Jade skeptically but nodded in approval of her request. "That sounds good to me."

With one more kiss, the two made their way to the Asphalt Cafe, where their significant other was expected to be.

* * *

'This is NOT what I had in mind.' Jade groaned in frustration. Currently, she was cuddled under Liam on the couch with Tori lying opposite her. While this wasn't so bad, she found herself a bit miffed at the other uninvited guests. On the floor, to their right, Robbie & Ahrya were busy making out. Their brand of sexual tension was intoxicating enough to make the goth want to hurl her guts and even succeeded in making both Liam and Tori uncomfortable. On their left, the lesser of two evils came in the form of Andre and Cat who spent their time between watching television and going over dance moves. Unlike the former, Jade could picture the two as a viable match for one another; the perfect balance if she wanted to stretch things.

The only one, not present was her ex-boyfriend turned friend, Beck who she felt would've felt awkward unless he'd managed to secure a last minute date. Needless to say, she was glad he wasn't with them right now. By now, another episode of Once Upon a Time had reached its conclusion, sadly the lips of the freaky/geeky couple were still on full display.

"Would you give it a rest?" she piped up, not even trying to cover up her distaste for the duo. "You've been playing tonsil hockey since the very first episode of season one."

Both turned from their lip-locked embrace. "So what?" they asked, clueless to the sheer anger welling up from the girl.

"We just finished season two." she flatly responded while pointing at the clock. "And considering each episode is nearly an hour long, that means you lovebirds have been at it for far too long."

Surprisingly, Ahrya stood up with a deep frown on her face. "You're one to talk. I'm surprised that you aren't trying to swallow my brother's tongue as we speak. Maybe you're just being bitter since you're not the center of attention tonight. I bet your selfish ass would rather be rid of tori so that you can have Liam all to yourself!"

Sensing things about to escalate, Liam shot up from his position on the couch, standing between the two girls. "Okay, it's pretty late and we're all just tired right now."

Jade. however, was having none of his attempts at pacifying the situation. "No, let her speak. She clearly has something she'd like to get off her chest, Liam." her signature glare in full effect, Jade watched the girl that dare challenge her like a hawk. "I mean, it's not like she's using Robbie to make up for not having you around as often as she used to."

That was a sore spot for the girl, though she maintained her composure while her brother turned to the pale girl. While she couldn't make out what was being said, she did find that it had an effect on Jade."That's big talk coming from an insensitive little witch."

Silence.

A silence that created soul-crushing heaviness amongst the group.

While it seemed she'd won the battle, the look on Liam's face might have sealed her defeat in the war being waged between her and Jade. His eyes were devoid of all emotion except one; disappointment. It was a look reserved only for moments when she knew she messed up badly. "Ahrya? What the hell?" even his tone mirrored his mood. Behind him, a now quiet Jade turned and went upstairs, no doubt to Tori's room. It wasn't long before Tori herself followed but when turned to do the same, a hand wrapped around his forearm halted that idea. Expecting to see his sister, he was shocked to see a stone-faced Robbie Shapiro instead.

"Let me go, Rob..." his words were as cold as ice but his friend and roommate didn't relent. "I said, let me go."

"Don't you understand?!" he roared. "You're really about to walk away from your own sister?"

Pulling away, Liam glared at the boy standing in front of him; eyes burning with a fury at the hidden accusation being charged against him. "I'm going to check on Jade and then, we'll discuss this like civilized people."

"You're choosing Jade over her?!" Robbie snapped. "You're just going to abandon your own flesh and blood for Jade fucking West?!"

Try as he may, Liam could feel his blood boiling after that. Tightening his fists, his face grew darker, the rage that made him infamous in his other schools threatening to resurface. "Robbie, I suggest you shut up," he warned through gritted teeth. "You're out of line..."

Even Ahrya started to look more worried than upset as she rested her hands on her boyfriend's shoulders. "That's enough, baby." her tone was reminiscent of the days before Hollywood Arts, a clear sign of regression that Liam knew all too well.

"NO! This asshole has spent so little time with you that it's insanity!" Robbie unleashed. "You're my girlfriend and I'll protect you, even if he won't."

"Rob, I think that's enough..." Andre took a hold of the lanky boy's shoulder. "Let's just calm down and try and-"

"Shut up, Andre!" he turned his attention to the dark-skinned boy with a rage-filled look in his eyes. "Focus on Cat, and stay out of this!" His focus returned to the

The entire time, Liam just watched quietly as Robbie went off on anything or anyone daring enough to test him. He took only a moment to flash a disappointing gaze in Ahrya's direction. This was not the girl that he used to live with and take care of prior to their arrival to the school. His head was filled with so many things that they used to do growing up, their means of survival while under a corrupt and abusive 'guardian', everything seemed to appear in his mind all at once. While he admitted to himself that she was always a bit clingy, he didn't make a fuss considering the conditions. In fact, after meeting Robbie, she actually began to grow out of that and started opening up. After all these years, it seemed things hadn't changed.

He turned to walk to the room, managing to make it to the stairs without so much as a word to either Ahrya or Robbie. Seeing Tori coming around the corner, the two exchanged a glance. In that moment, time stood still for everyone. Tori and Liam were having a silent exchange, but, the former noticed a blur rushing towards them but was too late in warning her beloved. Seconds later, Liam felt someone grabbing his shoulder, turning him around directly into a solid left hand that connected with his jaw. It was clear that the aggressor had put every ounce of emotion behind the blow as it actually forced its victim to stagger into the railing. Before he could process what happened, Robbie threw another punch, this time straight into his mouth.

"That's for Ahrya, you son of a-"

"Robbie, that's enough!" she cried to the enraged boy.

"Good for you..." Everyone shifted their gaze now to Liam who now sported a large bruise on his cheek. Thick red liquid began to trickle from his left nostril, soon turning into a full flow that dripped onto his black shirt. "You finally got a hit on me, Rob. I'm impressed." The raspiness in his voice, an illusion of defeat, was now paired with a familiar taste forming in his mouth. More blood drained from his lip, just enough to warrant concern when he stood with, oddly enough, a simple smirk. "You actually have a solid striking base."

Robbie Shapiro felt his right twitch; was he being mocked?

"I got more where that came from!" he fired back.

"Yet, you're still pissed?" Liam's lips dropped into a straight line. "I thought you were defending the honor of my sister? Or maybe, you actually had another motive and you're just using this as an excuse to do what you couldn't do before?" Despite the excruciating pain swirling around him, he relished the prospect of whatever could happen from that point on. "If I didn't know any better, I'd wager that you enjoyed that a lot more than you let on."

"You don't know me!" his arm swiping the air, almost trying to sever the conversation.

The demonic gaze of Liam only hardened. "And you know Jade? You mean to tell me, that after these few years, you know everything there is to know about her? You spew your self-righteous dribble and you don't even know why you're doing it. But I do; I can practically smell it on you, Rob. You're afraid..."

"You're right! Who wouldn't be afraid of her?" Robbie knew he was walking on thin ice, yet couldn't care less. His emotions had full control over him and they weren't about to relinquish their hold anytime soon. "Her very presence demands it! Every step she takes, the other students and teachers part like the Red Sea in the hallways. She claims that it's respect, but it's actually because they all deeply despise her; and who wouldn't? She's a menace, she's ornery, hell," he pointed to the injured boy across from him. "She nearly threatened your life on your first day at Hollywood Arts. Most NORMAL people would and DO avoid her like the plague but, what do you do? You date her!"

Liam wiped away some of the blood then crossed his arms, unphased by the tantrum being thrown before him. "So, what's your point?"

"My point?!" The lanky teen threw his hands up. "Why on earth would you even entertain someone like her? She's ruthless, possessive, spoiled,"

"Again, what is your point?" Though his tone never rose, it was clear that Liam had reached his capacity for tolerating the boy's slanderous words.

The look in his eyes told Robbie all that he needed to know: Choose your next words wisely. Swallowing the lump of nervousness, he continued. "Ahrya was right, she's an insensitive little witch who's known only for hurting those around her. Even Beck could only take so much hence the many times they've broken up. She's nothing more than a monster who is incapable of anything other than pain. Eventually, you'll see that too."

"Get out." a soft yet stern voice filled the room.

The silence was palpable as the curly haired boy slowly started to come to his senses. Feeling the wave of fury diminishing, he looked around the room, noting the terror etched on the faces of Cat and Andre, the latter holding the former for dear life. His eyes then settled on the worried and tearful gaze of his girlfriend. Unable to handle the weight of making her cry, reality hit him in its entirety when he saw Liam leaning on the rail with blood pouring from his mouth and nose. The sight of Tori standing next to him was new. 'How long had she been standing there?'

"What have I done?" he whispered, his voice shaky as were his hands.

"You didn't have to hit him, Robbie!" Andre reprimanded, a whimpering Cat huddling closer to him.

"I- I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me." he panicked. "I lost control."

"That goes without saying," Cat muttered softly.

The group was fortunate that the Vega's were having a night out or else they would've felt the wrath of Tori's father right now. Robbie backed away slowly, clearly shaken by his actions while Liam rubbed his sore jaw. The two found themselves changed from that cheap shot, neither willing to show anything other than ferocity. Liam and Robbie were frozen in time, a dark calm settling in the former of the two as he grabbed a hold of the stair rail.

"Whatever..." he passed a worried Tori, making his way up the stairs but stopped just short of the final step. Everyone in the living room heard a pain filled sigh escape his lips as he glanced over his shoulder. "I'll let the hits slide, Robbie. But you just proved my point," It seemed that he was being the bigger man until his green eyes steeled onto their target. "You stood up and defended my sister like a good boyfriend should yet, you judge me for doing the same?" The weight of shame grew heavier on Robbie's shoulders. I respect where you were coming from, but, if you ever say another cruel thing about Jade or even Tori, I won't be so forgiving..."

The group watched Liam disappear around the corner, unsure on how to feel with Robbie's exposure as a hypocrite. Like Liam, he knew both Jade and Tori long before Ahrya came into his life and yet, he didn't hesitate to defend the honor of the woman he loved over that of his two friends. Realization covered him like a shroud thick and full truth; a truth that made him feel more and more like scum. Ahrya just stood there stunned as her boyfriend walked out of the house.

* * *

Jade sat in the darkness of Tori's room, her body pressed against the locked door. She sniffled quietly, bottom lip quivering, and her shoulders dropped in resignation. She remained huddled in the black shroud that hid her physical form as well as her inner turmoil. She heard practically everything that Robbie said downstairs and couldn't shake off that fact that some of his words were, in fact true.

Witch.

Monster.

Despised.

Suddenly, more declarations began to form in her mind.

Unlovable

Beast

"You cause pain where ever you go." he eyes widened, complete hopelessness converted into tears that rain down her face at lightning speed. "No wonder Beck left you so many times." her inner voice taunted.

"But, he took me back after those times." her voice betrayed her, giving off the demeanor of a wounded child than a confident woman. "That has to count for something right?"

"Sure, if pity counts."

If her inner voice had a physical form, Jade swore it would be laughing at her.

"What do you know?" she muttered.

"I know that you're living in a fantasy world. Do you really think that someone like you could ever be loved by someone unconditionally?" Jade opened her mouth but was shot back down by her mind. "Liam doesn't count either. If given a choice, I promise you, he'd choose Vega 99% of the time. Isn't that the reason you worked so hard on convincing her to agree to this sham of a relationship?" Jade just sat there, speechless in the void. "My point's been made. After Yerba, you grew so insecure when he found that psychopath to protect Tori that you were willing to do anything to win."

"I did it to keep him." she pleaded.

"You did it to avoid losing to her again!" the voice shouted. "That's what it's always been about, Jade. You were so frustrated with Liam being around the other Vega that it began to eat away at you inside. After she left, you swore to yourself never to lose to her or Tori again. You both settled, you compromised for him..." she shut her eyes tightly, trying her hardest to ignore the pain bleeding out of her eyes. "and he settled for you. It's only a matter of time before he gives up, just like everyone else."

Jade sat there, staring into the void for what felt like years. The words of her inner personality continued to invade her mind while her arms dropped to her sides. Was Liam only with her because he settled? Did he really love her like he said? Doubt slithered around her like a python, strangling her from the inside out, unable to fully grasp air now as a result. Her only solace came when she finally heard the sounds of a door shutting, signaling Robbie's departure from the Vega household. Footsteps could be heard but it didn't matter to her. She was insistent on remaining isolated. She couldn't let everyone else see her like this: vulnerable.

"Jade?" it was Tori. "Liam wanted to talk to you but, I told him to rest. Please come out so we can talk about this."

"Go away, Vega." she groaned, cursing herself for letting her old side emerge. "I'll come out when I'm good and ready."

Though usually persistent, the brunette simply sighed. "Fine. We'll be downstairs when you're ready." even though it was past two in the morning, Ms. Vega would resign to sleeping on the couch if need be. As she left to inform the others, Jade listened carefully as the shuffling began to fade in the distance. She then stood to her feet, slowly due to the after-effects of her silent sobbing, and prepared to face the others. However, she stopped short, clutching the knob tightly as her internal war resurfaced. Emotionally broken, she unlocked the door but instead made her way to the window. It only took a few moments for her to open and crawl through, shutting it without so much as a sound. Considering Tori's bedroom faced the back of the house, Jade tiptoed to the front and scaled down behind the tall shrubbery.

"Ow," she hissed when a sharp branch stabbed her in the side on her way down. "Note to self: tell Tori to hire better landscapers."

"You know, you could tell her yourself."

Though her back was turned to him, she couldn't mistake that voice; one that brought order and chaos in her heart. "How did you know?" she grinned bittered.

"You're pretty predictable, Jade." he chuckled softly, leaning against the front of his car. "I assumed that you'd either wait until everyone left and sneak out or," he pointed up. "you'd get impatient and attempt to be a ninja."

Back still facing him, she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Well, you know what they say about assuming, don't you?"

Contemplating her words, he smirked. "True, but I prefer to be a dick when I can."

Now it was her turn to giggle. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

Liam pushed off of the vehicle. "I told Tori and the others that I was going to go home and catch up on some sleep before school."

"You're either clever or a terrible liar." she finally relented, spinning around to see the marks on his face. "What happened? Did HE do this to you?" she growled.

Seeing her normally bright gaze gradually descend to a lower shade, he nodded. "I let him get a couple of shots in, but he knows not to try it again."

He knew that Jade was the type to hold a grudge, especially if it involved someone she cared about. "I'm going to kill him..."

"No." he replied flatly. "You're going home. We have a Biology exam in the morning." He took her hand but noticed that his girlfriend remained in her spot as if rooted by some unseen force. Her green tipped raven hair blanketed her face, keeping her expression unreadable to him. "Jade?"

"Did you mean it?" she asked, monotoned. Furrowing his brows, it was clear that he didn't know what she was referring to.

"Back there with Robbie?" she didn't so much as budge. "Of course I meant what I said."

"Not just that." she interrupted. "What you said at school; about 'being in love'?"

Not saying a word at first, Liam took her hand once more. "Jade, if I didn't mean it, I wouldn't have told you." She looked into his eyes, seeing nothing but the truth that she desperately wanted. "I'm not really big on being open like that, but it felt like the right time to tell you."

Nodding, she hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go. "Either you're just being honest, or you're really good at hiding motives." she joked.

"Wait a minute!" he rubbed her back. "Two minutes ago, you said I was a bad liar."

Looking at the dried blood trailing down his down and lip, she shook her head. "So I changed my mind. Big deal..."

He rolled his eyes but left things where they were. "Now come on, we'd better go before I let you talk me into skipping again."

She agreed, giggling once more, and hopped in the car.

The drive was rather quiet and comfortably so with some soul music playing through the radio. Every so often, she would steal glances at her boyfriend, wondering to herself how did she ever achieve someone who could have her feel so happy. It didn't take too long before the two arrived at a dark and empty house. The lights were all off and there appeared to be no sign of life anywhere.

"Typical." she huffed with arms crossed.

"Where's your family?" he asked while peering through the windshield.

Cutting her gaze, Jade sighed. "My dad's probably working late again and my mom and baby brother must've left again. It's a regular thing for us West's."

"We could always crash at my dorm if you'd like."

"While I'd love nothing more than that," she allowed a small smile to grace her lips before looking out of the passenger window. "I don't trust myself around Shapiro. He's made his feelings about me clear and, while I can't say I blame him, I'm afraid I'd only give him more ammo to work with if I'm that close to him. Anyway, I'm used to sleeping alone in this house; it's quiet and devoid of annoying people trying to tell me how to live my life."

Liam couldn't find too many flaws in her logic but opened the door. "Then it's settled."

She tilted her head, eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

He slightly tucked his chin, flashing a dazzling smile. "I'm spending the night. Duh!" he then stuck his tongue out at her.

Though it wasn't new for him to be in her house, it was under dubious circumstances, mainly being tied to her bed for some sensual contact of sorts but this; this was shocking, to say the least for Jade. Her only response was to grin like a little school girl being told her birthday was coming up and she was getting the pony she always wanted.

"Okay, tiger." was her only retort but in her mind, reminders of the past conversations the day prior could be summed up in one question.

'What did I ever do to deserve you?'

* * *

 **Alright, so I'm going to make this as quick as possible.**

 **First order of business, we have nearly hit the 2000 view mark and I'm planning something special for the next chapter if we can hit that mark. We're about 55 views away from that point so it is possible to hit that point before the next chapter is posted. I am grateful for all of you who read, follow, and favorited this story. I honestly never imagined that I'd come this far with this story. With things like writer's block and outside interference, I was afraid that this would fall into obscurity.**

 **This brings me to the next subject, I will be working on my other previous fics such as Torque, A Soul's Requiem, and Eyes of the Abyss. I've just wanted to focus on one fic at a time for a change. This fiction isn't ending anytime soon though as I have plenty of ideas and surprises in store for Liam and the others.**

 **I would lastly like to address a question made by OnASnowyDay in regards to the OC application. I am looking for another OC to throw in as there will be a shift coming in the next few chapters. The only requirements are that they must be connected to Trina either as friends or romantic interests. While a male OC is preferred, I am not opposed to having a female character either. Below are the quick notes for the application.**

 **Name:**

 **Age (19-23):**

 **Ethnicity:**

 **Height/Weight:**

 **Hair (color, length, style):**

 **Personality traits:**

 **Eye color:**

 **Body (Build, Skin Tone, Tattoos, etc.):**

 **Likes/Dislikes:**

 **Connection to Trina:**

 **Feelings towards Liam:**

 **Personal Life (occupation, beliefs, etc.):**

 **I believe this is all for now. While this is officially chapter 17, it has been technically 20 chapters posted and I'm hoping to get maybe between 15 more at the least if the story continues to progress the way it is. Thank you all for your love, support, and words of encouragement throughout. I hope you all have enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next one.**


	21. Chapter 18

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 18: ...Wings of a Fallen Angel**

The next morning brought with it mixed emotions among the group of friends. After dealing with their biology exam earlier that morning, the teens were trying to zone out the awkward aura around them. Robbie and Ahrya had chosen to keep their distance from their friends after the altercation between the former and Liam the earlier that morning. If they didn't share a class with someone, the couple would avoid them entirely, aside from Beck.

Speaking of Beck, he was the only one completely clueless of the situation, opting, however, to stay away from that rabbit hole altogether. As far as he was concerned, he would remain neutral and worry about his own personal issues. Recently, he'd been getting frequent visits from his 'contact' for 'meetings' that usually resulted in him giving her physical feedback. While no stranger to sexual encounters, he had many during his relationship with Jade in the past, it was the person he knew all too well that built his mausoleum of guilt. If karma was a sharpened blade, he'd been cut in two by now.

Andre Cat would check on Tori whenever they spotted her throughout the school, which left Jade and Liam. The pale skinned girl had been unusually in a good mood since disappearing last night which only made her more scary to the students and faculty alike. She was currently checking her locker for her books and script when her, sort of, girlfriend approached her, a skeptical look behind her honey brown eyes.

"Jade?" her tone matched her gaze. "Are you okay?"

Pulling her focus from the task at hand, Jade sized up Tori as if she were a total stranger. "Yeah, why do you ask?"

"You're smiling..." she flatly pointed out. "You never smile; smirk, maybe but smile? Never..."

Though she hated to admit it, Tori did make a good point. "Okay, well maybe it's time for a change?" Her attempt at a rotten retort failed due to her lack of conviction. The reality of that little slip up in her demeanor was made clear when she noticed Tori's face shift from uncertainty to understanding to complete shock. If it wasn't obvious before, it was now, thanks to the look on Jade's face.

"You didn't..." she pointed, eyes bigger than golf balls. Before she could continue, Tori would find herself being dragged into the janitor's closet. "Jade! What the hell are you-!"

She didn't get to finish her question when Jade crashed her lips onto hers, sending the brunette into a mindless trance for a few moments. Half expecting to be pushed away, she was pleasantly surprised when instead, Tori wrapped her arms around her neck, deepening the kiss. Soon the two were in full make-out mode as their hands began exploring one another's bodies. Jade then took a chance and slipped her tongue into her lover's mouth, moaning softly while tasting the minty flavor of Tori's gum. This moment in time lasted for only for a few minutes yet, Tori Vega would find herself longing for more.

"Jade..." she gently cooed before covering her mouth. "I- I mean, what was that for?"

Her response came in the form of Jade shrugging.

"You were about to blab to the entire school about sensitive information." she hissed.

Tori could only blush in embarrassment at the truth behind her words. "Okay, I see your point. But what was with that kiss just now?" she took a moment to touch her lips, still feeling the tingle of their embrace. "Was that just to shut me up?"

"Mostly."

"What do you mean?"

Jade cut her gaze to the suspicious girl with a growing smirk. "Maybe I just wanted to kiss you and judging by your reaction," she placed a finger onto the now burning cheeks of the Latina. "you enjoyed it as much as I did." Not wanting to give her any more ammo to work with, Tori remained silent. "If I knew it would shut you up, I would've kissed you a long time ago." she chuckled.

"Yeah, well..." she turned away to hide the intense shade of red shining along her perfect cheekbones. "You still haven't told me what happened."

It was then that every form of humor drained from the ivory girl, replaced with a more serious look. She sighed while twirling one of her green dyed locks

"Alright. It sort of started after I left your house." Blue eyes averted to a worn down mop bucket, her lips curling upwards. "Liam happened to catch me sneaking out and, well?"

* * *

'What did I ever do to deserve you?'

As the two entered the familiar lonely house, an elated Jade took her boyfriend's hand to lead him inside. Once inside, Liam would get that same feeling of worry when the door closed behind him, plunging them into a blanket of blackness.

"Relax, babe." she gave his hand a squeeze. "You're perfectly safe, so long as you're on my good side."

Though not amused, he didn't press the obvious joke as the couple pressed forward. It was a good thing that Jade knew her own home like the back of her hand, even in the midst of the darkness as she took him upstairs, each step bringing them closer to their destination. Liam remained quiet until they both were inside of her room. His nerves would be soothed though when he turned into a soft kiss from the girl. Jade, while no stranger to displaying her feelings physically, was being uncharacteristically gentle in her approach.

"Jade..." he whispered before she claimed his lips once more. His practicality was reduced to nothing more than soft moans and muffled sentences while under her spell. Even in the dark, he could just make out the sparkling sapphires drawing him deeper into a world all of her own. Reacting on instinct, his hands found themselves resting firmly on her waist. The feeling of innocence, captivating and entrancing, flowed from one to the other in a seemingly endless cycle until his ivory queen pulled away just enough to stare at him. "...something wrong?"

Jade simply shook her head and smiled. "Nothing." she giggled in that way that he loved so much.

Liam's gaze softened, his senses slowly returning as he took in her beauty. "Jade." she loathed the way he said her name incited butterflies to flutter wildly inside of her. That of concern mixed with understanding was one of her hidden weaknesses that made her want to smile like an excited child. Not even Beck was capable of that without receiving some smart remark or resistance overall from her. "You can tell me anything, Jade."

Slowly nodding, she separated from him, relishing the confused look on his face that she found so adorable. They would find themselves tripping over something, thankful that her bed was close enough to break their fall, forcing them to let out a full out laugh at their near fall. Then it happened; lying under her smaller frame their position was perfectly shined upon by the moon's beams peaking through the blinds. The broken rays seemed to hit the right spots, her azure orbs, and quivering lip. Dark tendrils cascaded over them both, reminiscent of the night they shared their first kiss; the two remaining in that spot for a moment when Jade made the first move, an act that would solidify their bond.

"I need you," her voice was nearly inaudible; her main focus currently working to get her top off of her slender torso. Liam watched as she then stood up to do the same to her black lolita skirt until she was in nothing but her black bra and panties. Nearly in all of her glory, she smirked softly, a hand on her hip. "I think one of us is a bit overdressed." she breathed in a sultry voice.

He didn't say a word, not that he could find the right ones to say in response. He simply nods his head before working himself out of his shirt but found it difficult as it was a bit tighter on his toned body. Fortunately for him, Jade was more than willing to give him some assistance, letting him lift his arms while she peeled the cotton shirt from his upper body. With it finally removed, the two exchanged looks once again.

"Jade are you-?" she grazed a finger onto his lips to finalize her answer.

She then resumed her 'assistance' by unbuckling his belt as he leaned back in silence. He would take care of the rest, kicking off his jeans before being pushed against the bed by his seductress of a girlfriend. She crawled on top of him like a cat ready to pounce on its prey until her lower half rested on his abdomen.

"Liam, do you think I'm beautiful?" both the question and tone of Jade caught him off guard.

"Of course I do, Jade." wanting to know where things were leading, he held his tongue from saying anything further.

She wanted more but knew that getting these answers would definitely be a challenge. "How can you love a monster like me?" The break in her voice brought everything full circle. She was still stinging from Ahrya and Robbie's words. "Maybe I'm not meant to know what love is..."

Then it happened.

Warm droplets fell on his chest, falling from the sniffling young woman above him. If heartbreak had a sound, his would've resembled glass shattering. Anger, directed at the two, nearly claimed him but thankfully, he fought through it while pulling himself up into a sitting position. He then bent down, his lips now on her forehead, brushing it gently—and that light touch sent shivers through her nerves, shivers that made her whole body tremble.

"We don't have to do this tonight." he felt her body tense upon his chest.

When no word came out, he leaned in, kissing her nose. "Jade," his lips then found themselves resting against her jawline. "Jade," His lips absorbed the salty drops of pain and turmoil. "Jade," his breath tickled her lips, forcing her to acknowledge him. "Please talk to me."

"But he was right; Beck left me so many times before because I was a gank or I was so overbearing!" her sobs were as if cobra fangs being shoved in various spots of her body—Sharpened blades of self-loathing, unresolved past emotions, and bitterness being different forms of venom coursing through her veins. She was suffering, no, she'd been suffering for so long that her soul finally erupted like a volcano. "Maybe this is life showing me that I might not deserve having, mpphff!"

To her shock, Liam crashed his lips onto her again, and again, and again until she remained silent.

"Listen, Jade. I don't care about all of that stuff that Robbie or Ahrya said about you." he looked at her with a conviction so strong, she felt a small degree of fear crawl down her spine. "What matters is this," he lifted her chin gingerly. "I love you."

So many thoughts formed in Jade's head, only one actually carrying heavy ramifications. Throwing her hair over her shoulders, she worked to get her bra off, accomplishing the task after a few tries, revealing herself to Liam. Next came the panties which she tossed behind her. There was only one last obstacle in the goth's way: Liam's Boxers. With one look, she found him removing the underwear as if the things were on fire. Free of the cotton restraints, his sex flopped out, extending to its fullest potential.

Now content, Jade resumed her mission, crawling over the boy who touched her heart with an eagerness that knew no equal. He watched as their skin grazed his own, willing to endure the tiny jolts of electricity surging throughout him as long as he possibly could. Animal-like urges threatened to break through his core if Jade didn't make a move to follow through with her goal. He didn't have to wait long as she guided her lower half directly over his manhood, licking her lips hungrily in anticipation. Liam bit back the moan creeping up his throat, experiencing Jade to the highest degree possible in a physical realm. While he focused on restraining himself, he missed the sharp gasp from his gothic lover, only concentrating on her warmth enveloping his shaft.

"It's bigger than I thought." she moaned; her vagina sliding down his length slowly until she was, once again, sitting on his lap. They remained that way for a few minutes, neither quite ready for what was inevitable. It was Liam though who finally made some form of movement, leaning forward. While sitting up, Jade leaned down and claimed her much-awaited reward. She rocked her hips, her cravings and desires consuming her better judgment of pacing herself. She wasn't a selfish lover though as she guided a stunned Liam to her breasts, happy when he wrapped his lips around one of her nipples. "Mmmmm, Liam." she exhaled his name as he massaged her inner walls, now wet from his girth stretching her slightly with each thrust. Add to that his oral fascination with her D-cup breasts and Jade was in a world of ecstasy the likes she hadn't experienced since her very first time.

Even though neither were strangers to sex, this was completely different for them both. Liam and Jade would find them rolling around on the bed, lost in a sea of limbs, only stopping when Jade found her head hanging off of the edge. Luckily, Liam had the presence of mind to maneuver to the middle of the bed, love, and lust swirling in his emerald eyes. This is what Jade always wanted. She longed for this moment but was always too afraid to engage so she settled for kinky trials and oral stimulation but this? She knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was safe. She wrapped her arms his neck as she guided himself back inside of her arousal. The sight of her arching her back from his slow insertion only turned him on even more. "You are amazing, Jade." his words tickled her ears as she dug her nails into his back.

Ebony and Ivory. Emerald and Sapphire. She was his and he was hers. Tonight, nothing else mattered; not Robbie, not his sister, Ahrya, nothing that was considered a hindrance to their consummation of love and affection. His thrusts began to gather steam, rolling his hips with each motion. Jade could only cry out as she surrendered to the impulses rushing within her body. Each nerve felt like a spark was lit as she sunk her sharp talons into his back, penetrating the protection of his skin. He winced as the warm red liquid pooled around her nails, eventually trickling down his back and yet, he never lost his rhythm.

"...Liam..."

"I know, Jade..." he smiled despite the pain shooting through his head.

The amount of sweat from his actions found their way to his wounds, pushing him even further. His swelling remaining firm inside of her, Liam felt her flower tightening around him, caressing him with each snap of his hips. He knew she was close, and he wasn't going to stop until she reached her high point. No more words were needed, their bodies capable of doing all of the necessary communication. The raven-haired goddess beneath him gripped the sheets. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, though not tight enough to prevent his exit. She closed her eyes, immersing herself in the climbing levels of her orgasm until it hit. Jade's mouth opened wide, yet no sound came out beside the occasional gasp. Her climax though only for a few moments, felt like it would never end. Her vision became blurred as she felt her sexual discharge flow down the full extent of her now, smiling boyfriend.

"Jade?"

"Hmmm?"

"Are you okay?"

"Mhmm.." she nodded slowly.

"Good." he leaned forward, lifting her legs in the air while stealing a kiss from the sex-drunk girl. "Now we can get some sleep."

"Wait, what?"

Jade didn't have a chance to protest, instead, moaning softly while he withdrew himself from her. The feeling of emptiness forced her to pout in disappointment but, more importantly, she was growing increasingly concerned about her partner. Feeling her questioning gaze burrowing a hole through him, he plopped next to her, cradling her in his arms. Every attempt she made to ask about his orgasm was thwarted by him placing a kiss on a random part of her body; sour sweat and her sweet skin made for the perfect combination in his opinion. However, even he knew that this could only last so long before he'd be forced to give her some form of answer.

"Relax, tonight was about you and getting your release." he rubbed her back, taking in her intoxicating natural scent.

"But, that's not fair." she frowned, though she was still too drained to really raise a heavy argument; even if she was right. "You deserve to have your moment, too."

Much to her surprise, and annoyance, he chuckled softly before a yawn escaped his lips. "I will. Just not tonight..." he noticed her staring at him, upset at him despite the pleasure he'd just given her. "Okay, we'll discuss it later. I promise..." Jade let out a light huff but agreed to the terms, using the last bit of her remaining strength to crawl on top of the equally exhausted boy. "But, let me tell you this before we go to sleep. From now on, I don't care what anyone has to say about you. They don't know you like I do."

"But Liam, what about what-?"

"Robbie's an ass, okay? But, he was right and wrong about one thing; when he called you a monster." Jade peered at him clearly confused. "He forgot to mention that you're my monster that I'm in love with."

Tears flowed like a waterfall either due to Jade not caring, unable to wipe them away, or both. To hear those words from someone who just shared an intimate moment of passion set her soul on fire. It wasn't a lustful fire but one that cleansed many of the darkest crevices of her spirit. She forced herself to kiss him, only accomplishing to reach his nose.

"Goodnight, Tiger." her eyes began to flutter, signaling slumber's grip on her.

"Goodnight, my monster." he pulled the covers over their naked bodies.

Unconsciousness soon staked its claim over the couple, forcing them into a much needed deep sleep. Jade, using the last of her resistance for the night, yawned and smiled as she faded out too.

'This monster's in love with you too.'

* * *

"By the time we woke up, I gave Liam a happy ending. The End." Tori just stared in both awe and jealousy as Jade's concluded her explanation. "So, that's what happened. Happy now?"

"I guess. But, I'm a bit," she rubbed her arm, clearly uncomfortable with stating her case.

"You're upset because we shared an intimate moment without you, right?" she nodded. "Listen, it's not we planned it out that way and besides, I wouldn't worry too much about it if I were you." Before she could inquire further, Jade held up a hand to prevent any interruption. "After last night, Liam and I agreed that you should have your moment with him, on your own terms. You can go on a date or whatever and if something goes down, then you're both off the hook. Sound good?"

Of course, Tori raised an eyebrow to show her skepticism. "Why are you being so nice, though? You're never this nice."

"Do you want me to take my offer back then?" she retorted, growing more annoyed by the second.

"Nope. I'm good... Me and Liam. One-on-one. Free pass. I got it!" she chuckled nervously.

Jade finally stood to her feet, softly exhaling from the long description of her ordeal the night before. "Good. Now let me help you up." Given the past few seconds, Tori didn't bother to protest and allowed her gothic girlfriend to pull her up from the floor only to plant a long and deep kiss. Like with Liam before, the slender girl found herself lost in a whirlwind of passion that captivated her. Before she could capitalize on the moment, Jade pulled away and made her departure but, not before flashing a seductive wink over her shoulders at the girl. "Later, Tori."

While trying to regain her composure, Tori realized one thing.

'I have Liam all to myself.' she grinned as several ideas began to gather in her head.

* * *

 **I get this was a rather short chapter, but I wanted to progress the story steadily and there were still some holes that needed to be filled (no pun intended) before pushing forward. I also wanted a form of continuation for Jade after the initial incident in the last chapter. Now, we will focus a bit more on Tori in the next chapter along with the others so, for those who are Tori/Liam fans, don't worry. She's going to have her moment, but the question is, what will happen between them as a whole?**

 **Another concern of mine for this story is 'how will Trina fit into this arc'? Well, that's where the main issue lies. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't have a way to insert her back into the story, it's the fact that I have multiple ways to fit her into the story. So, while I work on which scenario to re-introduce Trina in, I'll be checking on the OC applications and keep the story going for the sake of the other characters involved.**

 **Lastly, to avoid spoiling anything, I'm also going to be touching on Beck, Andre & Cat heavily in the next chapter with a little Robbie and Ahrya sprinkled in. Interestingly enough, I will be conducting a poll on my page where you can vote on which couple you enjoy the most so far.**

 **The confirmed/speculated couples that'll be listed are:**

 **Liam/Jade**

 **Liam/Tori**

 **Liam/Tori/Jade**

 **Cat/Andre &**

 **Robbie/Ahrya**

 **I think I'll write a one-shot for the couple with the most votes. Whether or not that one-shot is canon is up in the air right now.**


	22. Chapter 19

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 19: Shadows Behind the Light**

 _Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong._

 _No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first and is waiting for it._

 _-Terry Pratchett_

* * *

Weeks passed, and Tori could only groan as she leaned against her locker in frustration. Between practicing for the play and taking care of her mid-term exams, she hadn't figured out any good ideas for her date with Liam. Eventually, she found herself sifting through the row of books in an attempt to just distract herself from the many thoughts plaguing her; one, in particular, brought a coy smile on her face.

Liam's body.

Closing her eyes, she envisioned him, in all of his glory pulling her onto her bed. Their contact, so intoxicating as he kisses her. He held her as if she were fine china, so delicate and precious. His lips mirrored the sweet taste of honey, a perfect contrast to his smooth and rich chocolate skin. His smile forced her throat to hitch as she found herself ensnared in the bright forest of his eyes. Soon the sounds of nature filled her ears as her boyfriend trailed his tongue down her neck, inciting an abrupt moan of pleasure. "Are you okay?" his words. dripping of love and adoration, set her soul on fire. "Tori?" she savored the way he called her name. "Vega?"

"Huh?"

Tori opened her eyes to find herself flanked by her significant others. On her left stood her boyfriend, who was waving a hand in front of her face. On her right, Jade watched her with furrowed eyebrows, though her expression resembled that of disinterest. "He asked if you were alright, Tori." the latter announced. "You look like you were spaced out, or having a stroke; I voted for the stroke."

To anyone else, that would've been true, yet Tori could tell that the girl was just messing with her. This didn't stop her from shooting Jade a glare of disapproval to which she received a seductive kissy face.

"I'm fine," she reached out to tuck her hair behind her right ear. "I was just lost in thought."

Staring blankly at her, Liam opened his mouth but wound up being cut off by Jade.

"We could see that," Her lips turned upward. "And from the look of things, you seemed to be enjoying your little fantasy. Care to tell us what was going on?"

Trying her hardest to suppress the blush creeping onto her face, Tori scoffed before turning to Liam, only to find him interested as well.

"It's nothing!" she averted her eyes back to her locker. "H-how's the play going?"

Jade rolled her eyes at her obvious attempt at changing the subject, but, a hand placed on her shoulder shut down her interrogation plans.

"The plays going great, Tori." Liam smiled warmly. "We're going on this weekend in the Black Box since we've made a huge amount of progress. But," Grabbing Tori's hand, he watched as she turned to him, uncertainty in her eyes. "You don't have to be afraid to talk to us. We're in this relationship together and we should be comfortable enough around each other. I mean Jade and I-." he stopped when her face dropped, realizing what the problem. "I get it now."

A confused Jade looked at him, her eyes asking him to explain further. Unfortunately for her, he shook his head, hoping she would understand his reasoning.

"Oh, look at the time," she pretended to check her wrist for the time. "I have a, oh whatever, I'll see you two later." she huffed, but not before giving Liam a quick kiss.

The two waited until she disappeared around the corner and Liam crossed his arms with a laid back gaze. "Okay, now that Jade's gone, tell me what's really on your mind."

"I told you already. I was just lost in my..." she paused, sensing him reading her like a book.

"You can fool a lot of people Tori, but I'm not one of them."

"Really? What about all of those times when Jade and I would try and trap you into thinking we were lesbians?" she smiled softly at him.

His response, a standard head shake, was more than enough for her to drop the facade. "Don't change the subject." he scolded. "Besides it wasn't that funny, to begin with."

"Fine. I'm just a bit conflicted about our date."

This brought a legitimate look of concern on Liam's face. "Why are you conflicted?"

Her mind immediately pulled her into thoughts of Liam and Jade engaging in various sexual positions. Their naked forms dancing along the bed and, Lord knows where else. It was enough to arouse and worry her.

"I want what you two shared...!" she bit her lip, surprised at her sudden outburst of courage. With his eyes shifting nervously from left to right, Tori knew that he'd understood her. "Jade told me everything from her sneaking out to what else happened," she whispered the last part, hoping to not air out their dirty laundry to the students passing by.

"Tori, if you know what happened then you should also know what it meant to her." Her soft scowl was enough for him to further explain. "We obviously didn't plan on doing what we did, it just happened but it wasn't just sex either. It was our way of expressing love physically." As her face grew sour, Liam once again took her hand. "Something I'd love to share with you as well."

Her face lit up like Cat when she was in a candy store. "You really mean that?"

"Of course!" he nodded, his clever grin adorning his face. "But, we should let it happen naturally. No need to force things or it'll just be awkward."

That was all Tori needed to hear as she gave him a tight hug and a kiss so full of love, you would've though hearts would float out the guy's ears.

"I think I know what I want our date to be..." she whispered, her voice low and sultry now.

* * *

Beck was miserable.

Over time, he would find himself unable to stomach being in school, home, or anywhere for that matter. Why might you ask? It was simply because he was constantly being hounded by his 'secret admirer'. Over the past week or so, he had personal visits from the woman that left him drained, both physically and emotionally. What made matters worse were the circumstances behind the meetings. In less than a week's time, he would forget to shave which resulted in him gaining a stubble. He also became a lot more skittish when anyone tried to interact with him outside of classes or the play he was involved with. Needless to say, he could use a good night's sleep to bring him some peace; an idea he relished as he leaned against his locker, heavy lids drooping lower with each passing second.

"Hey!" he nearly jumped out of his skin at the soft voice behind him. "Are you okay, Beck?"

Turning around, he took deep breaths to calm his rapidly beating heart.

"Ahrya, what can I do for you?" he sighed heavily.

Giggling, she raised an eyebrow at his question. "You know, someone might take that out of context."

"I'm sure." he deadpanned. "What's up?"

"Nothing much, really. I just noticed you seemed distracted about something." she raised her hand in a faux presenting fashion. "Is there something that's bothering you?"

Despite the sincerity of her tone, Beck narrowed his eyes at the girl but, for some reason, looked over his shoulder in hopes that nobody was nearby.

"We both know what's bothering me, Ahrya." he hissed. "In fact, we both know who's the cause of my vexation. So, cut the innocent act and tell me what you want."

Just like that, her gaze darkened, Amythist orbs glowing with dark intentions. "Becky poo... It's no secret what I want. You gave it to me last night, and this morning before school." her voice, a concoction of lust, seduction, and control forced Beck to back away slightly. He wasn't sure why, but his heart was gripped with fear, a feeling he'd come to know all too well around her. "I must say, I'm impressed with your endurance. Four rounds in only a couple of hours?"

"Leave me alone..."

"But what will Liam think?" As he turned to walk away, he found himself unable to take more than a few steps when his name was brought up. "Or Robbie for that matter?"

With a look of pure rage, he stomped back to the spot he previously stood. "Look here you little whore..." he warned through gritted teeth. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but I cant keep doing this anymore."

Not amused, Ahrya folded her arms. "What are you saying?"

To her surprise, he took one more step so that their faces were mere inches from each other.

"Read my lips." a fire danced brightly behind his eyes, the likes in which he hadn't felt in a long time. "I'm done with this AND you. I don't care about what has happened before. I'll tell Robbie and Liam myself what's been going on about everything. About this affair, the spying on him, everything and I'll beg for their forgiveness if that's what it takes to clear my conscious of what I've done. We. Are. Over..."

Vindication; the only word that could accurately describe the feeling engulfing Beck Oliver at this moment. Though the sexual endeavors had only been for a short period, he was content with sharing everything about that and more with his friends. That's right after they escaped Yerba, Beck had developed a newfound respect for Liam and wanted nothing more than to make things right with him. The smile he possessed only grew as he basked in his inevitable freedom. There was nothing she could do.

Right...?

"But what if I tell them otherwise?" her tone was steady and flat.

Not one to be thrown off, he chuckled. "What could you tell them that I wouldn't? You'd still be feeding into my hand by revealing your actions to them both."

"Not if I tell them you raped me."

Vindication; his last hope easily twisted into horror.

"Y-you wouldn't..." he growled, much to her sickening delight.

"Wouldn't I?" her glossy lips curling into a sadistic smile. "With what we've been up to, I have all the evidence in the world against you; your DNA. Did you think I just wanted mindless sex from you?" Ahrya took back her turn, insanity flickering behind her purple crystals. "It was also an insurance policy, sweetheart."

Onyx eyes widened in disbelief and rage. He was so close to getting away from her that Beck could taste it. How did he not see this coming? His resolve vanished almost as quickly as it came, his head lowering in defeat. There was no doubt about it now...

He lost.

"I do hate seeing so dejected, Beck." she placed a hand on his now shivering shoulder. "I admit that you played this game well, but, you underestimated your opponent. I find that shocking, considering you used to date that witch, Jade."

Feeling the urge to kill rising, Beck's hands twitched as he contemplated the notion. He could accept the consequences, right? Get expelled and be rid of her? He could start over, make new friends, and never have to endure this hell again. As his gaze rose to see the mocking sweetness of Ahrya, he settled on that. Her calm demeanor was a plague on him while he slowly raised his shaking hands. He was physically stronger than her so she wouldn't be able to do much to stop him. It wasn't his first choice, but desperation forces people to do crazy things. At this point, his arms were by her shoulders, fingers eager to wrap around her slender neck.

"Hey, guys!"

'No!' he cursed, recognizing that voice.

"Hey, baby!" Ahrya waved. Gone was her evil persona, replaced once more by her cheerfulness. "I thought you had tech class this period?"

"We finished early with the set-up and... what's going on here?" he looked at the frozen form of Beck.

Unable to utter a single word, Beck found himself swept into a big hug by none other than the bane of his existence. "Sorry baby, I wanted to give Beck a hug for helping me with the dance number and he was nervous out of respect for our relationship. I told him you wouldn't mind."

Looking at Robbie like a madman, he pulled away from her as if she were on fire. Robbie took a few seconds to analyze the situation and shrugged it off.

"Beck, we've been friends since day one here." he draped an arm over the boy's shoulder. "I know you wouldn't do anything behind my back, but I do appreciate the respect, man."

Thoughts of revealing everything to Robbie crossed his mind, but they were buried no sooner than they appeared. "Y-yeah, n-no problem. I uh, gotta go... I'm late for English." Backing away, he gave a half-hearted wave at the now, hugging couple, frowning deeply once he turned around and while he didn't see it, he could sense the evil smirk of triumph carved on Ahrya's face.

* * *

"A whole new world." an enamored Liam placed a hand on his beloved face.

"A whole new life." Jade, captivated by her boyfriend, allowed herself to smile brightly before the big finish.

The two gaze in one another's eyes, finding themselves lost in a world of love and acceptance. "For you and me."

As they shared a simple kiss, the lights faded to black. The sounds of the musicians mixed with the wild applause from the crowd filled the theater, cheers, and whistles added here and there. Among them, stood a proud Tori Vega who clapped along with her friends. After days of practicing and planning, she'd settled on this night to have their date. Taking into consideration the time he spent with Jade both during and after rehearsals, things would go unopposed by her pale skinned significant other.

The final curtain call came and went.

Soon those in attendance began filing out of the room, many of them talking highly of the performance exhibited. After a few minutes, she found herself alone, waiting for 'Aladdin' to make his presence known. She was okay with her friends wanting to leave right after as they had plans of their own. Still stinging from their altercation earlier in the week, Robbie and Ahrya, though happy to attend, left first with Beck following shortly behind. Andre and Cat gave their farewells after a brief conversation about their upcoming productions.

While she waited patiently, Tori found herself humming 'A Whole New World', soon becoming engrossed in her own world where she was the princess flying on a magic carpet with her proverbial 'street rat' serenading her. Had it not been for a hasty decision, and Jade picking that part first, she would have tried out for the role. Without realizing it, she was dancing elegantly across the stage, stepping to the music playing in her head.

"Wait a minute," she whispered. "That's not in my head."

"Don't stop on my accord." Embarrassed, she turned to find her grinning boyfriend walking onto the stage. No longer dressed in the costume, he was now clothed in a grey Three Days Grace t-shirt and some straight legged jeans. As if reading her mind, he explained. "I had Sinjin play the song for us one time before shutting down. I figured, maybe we could start our date night with a little dancing m'lady?" he held out his hand, resembling a nobleman as he bowed in respect. "Shall I have this dance?"

Unable to hold back her giggle, Tori curtsied and placed her hand in his own. "I'd love to, fine sir."

He placed his right hand on her waist before looking up at the balcony area. "Okay, Sinjin. Run it back one time."

"Oh come on!" he whined. "I have things to do."

Frowning at the boy, Liam suddenly had an idea, a sneaky one. "Alright, I guess I'll tell Jade that you refused to follow through with your promise."

Terror gripping his soul, Sinjin waved his hands in front of himself frantically. "No no! One more time wouldn't hurt!" he whimpered while reaching for the soundboard.

With that settled, the Black Box Theater was once again filled with the melodious sounds of the featured song. allowing the couple to share their desired dance. Each step they took was deliberate and light as a feather. With Liam leading them both, Tori felt herself gliding on air whenever he twirled or dipped her. It was evident that this was unexpected, but Tori didn't mind. Just to have a special moment like this with someone she adored was more than enough for her. So many words could describe how she felt at that moment, but none could truly express the feelings they felt for one another as a whole.

Unfortunately, like all things, the music soon came to an end.

Ignoring a bored and whiny Sinjin, Liam and Tori made their departure, the latter more than happy for what lied ahead.

"So," he opened the door. "How are you enjoying our date, Ms. Vega?"

Walking through, she faced the young man and pretended to think long and hard about his question. While she did this, Liam nearly snorted in laughter at her expression to which she joined in. It was going to be a fun night that neither could wait for.

* * *

All alone in her house, once again, Jade took it upon herself to find some way to occupy her time. It had been hours since the play and she was no closer to falling asleep. This realization had taken her to the living room where she would indulge herself on popcorn and scary movies. Currently playing was some old school horror flick about a swamp monster to which she found either hilarious or irritating depending on her ever-changing mood. As usual, her mind would begin to wonder about how Liam and Tori's date was going. Checking the clock, she found it reading 1:46 in the morning.

"Why did I have to be nice to Vega..." she groaned, partly because of her inner lust. Her response came in the form of her Pear phone chiming with Tori's name and face flashing on the screen. "Speak of the devil." Picking up the phone, she tried and failed to hide the emotion in her voice. "Tori, if you called to tell me how your date went, I swear I'll-"

"Jade, we need you to open the door." through the line, she could tell there was a sense of urgency in her voice.

"Wait, we?" Without another word, she set the bowl on the coffee table and rushed to the front door. When she opened it, she found both Tori and Liam standing at her doorstep, both breathing heavily. "What happened to you guys?"

"Tori has something she wants to tell you."

Jade eyed the boy before nervously shifting her attention to Tori. Leaning against the door frame, she was shocked when her lips were captured by the girl. Limbs became entangled. Moans of pleasure and surprise echoed in the large house. Throughout the initial ordeal, Liam smirked while shutting the door behind them. It took the need for air to finally separate the two revealing a breathless Tori and a dumbfounded Jade.

"What the hell, Vega!"

"Tori?" Liam nudged playfully.

"I want to share my first time with you." Tori blushed profusely, not even daring to hide it.

The silence was so strong, a pin drop could've shattered the sound barrier. It was clear that Tori's words didn't seem to process fully in her head.

"Are you sure about this V- I mean Tori?" her voice broke, something she'd curse herself for later on. "I was serious about you having Liam all to yourself tonight."

Liam grinned as his date shook her head. "I've made up my mind, Jade and I want my first time to be with you both."

Staring at the girl, Jade remained floored but settled on a simple smile and deep kiss to express her gratitude.

"Alright, you two." Liam rubbed his neck, literally feeling like the odd man out while his girlfriends shared their embrace. "Maybe we should get upstairs unless Tori wants her first time on your living room floor."

He watched as Jade pulled away, directing a frown at him. "Forgive me, but I could've sworn Tori said she wanted to share her first time with me." The look on Liam's face was priceless. His left eye twitched as his jaw dropped in irritation as the girls finally stood to their feet.

"You've got to be kidding me..." he muttered in disbelief. "You know damn well that-!"

At that moment, he stopped short of dishing the goth a piece of his mind when he suddenly heard the sounds of snickering coming from the two.

"Easy, Tiger." she smugly grinned while Tori covered her mouth, trying to stifle her own laughter. "It was just a joke. There's no way I'm letting Tori miss out on what your packing."

As her lips curled upward, her eyes flashed with mischief, a sign of her dominant side emerging. A tiny twinge of, justifiable fear painted his face, a masterpiece of the ivory artist slowly approaching him. What surprised him, even more, was the sight of Tori mirroring her actions. This was a position that he found himself in before and, like in the past, he was backed against the door with no means of escape. Gulping, he shut his eyes, expecting to be yanked to the bedroom only to find the duo tugging lightly on the collar of his jacket, gently pulling him into a duel kiss on his cheeks.

He opened his eyes, confused and hesitant to respond either vocally or physically. He was rewarded with the sight of both girls waltzing up the stairs, his eyes not missing the extra sway in their hips. 'What a couple of jerks...' he sighed; his own smirk returning. He wasted little time in following the two, skipping as many steps as he could to arrive at his destination. Once he made it to the top, he was greeted by a shut and locked door. "What the?" he grumbled.

"Wait a minute!" it was Jade's voice that responded. "Just give us a moment."

Pouting like a five-year-old who'd just been told that he couldn't have a cookie, he crossed his arms and mumbled something about his loins 'aching'. The minutes passed by rather slowly for the boy, who had settled on thinking about the state of this relationship. There was no doubt that he loved both deeply but their differences would be the main focus of his thoughts. Obvious enough, the two were polar opposites and yet, they exhibited one similarity that brought out of him the biggest of smiles.

"They wind up acting like the other..." he mused aloud.

"Who does what now?"

At that moment, Liam opened his eyes at the exact moment two hands reached out, pulling him into the bedroom.

* * *

The cool crisp nights breeze brought nothing but tranquility to Andre, who could use as much of it as he could stand. At the moment, he was walking in the park with Cat Valentine, the latter skipping happily while their arms were interlocked. Following the well-lit path, Andre was thankful that there weren't many people on the trail except for the random couple or jogger here and there. None of that mattered as he just enjoyed Cat's company and conversation. Since the finish of Jade and Liam's play, both found themselves wanting to be around one another.

"So, what would you say is your favorite animal?" he asked, barely able to hide his smile.

"Unicorns of course!" Cat giggled which he adored so much before she nudged him with her shoulder. "You know this already."

While this was true, Andre didn't mind asking. "Maybe I just like making conversation with you?"

Brown eyes darted to the ground, hidden behind a scarlet waterfall. "You sure know how to make a girl feel nervous."

"Welcome to my world." he chuckled softly. "I just wished I knew how to control these wonky feelings sometimes."

"Perhaps, it's not meant to be controlled..." Cat stopped in her tracks, catching her friend off guard. "Sometimes, we shouldn't fight to control everything but just let nature take its course and see where it goes?"

Seeing him turn, Cat found herself staring into the eyes of a young man who looked like he'd been told he had won a million dollars or a free world tour. His soft smile only succeeded in increasing her anxiousness. Though she was much shorter than him, Cat could see that he was intent on playing out her hypothesis.

"Maybe you're right." his voice was mellow, like a drug to her that somehow took a hold of her very being. Still feeling butterflies in her stomach, she felt content with remaining where she stood. "But, only if you want me to." she loved how he didn't treat her like a child, but as an equal, as she looked at him, a pillar of confidence.

"I think," she parted her lips, wanting nothing more than to just leap into his arms and unleash a barrage of emotion onto him. "I think that-."

"I think that you two should empty your wallets."

The two turned around to find three men stepping from behind one of the many trees on the trail.

Andre stepped in front of the worried girl, irritation visible on his face. "I don't know why you three want us to do that, but I ask that you leave us alone."

Two of the men just stared at him as if he had a screw loose while the one he assumed to be their leader, pulled out a knife. "I know you're trying to act all noble for your little girlfriend, but it ain't worth your life. Although," he peered around the boy and noticed the obviously uncomfortable looking Cat huddled behind him. "If I had a chick that looked as good as her, I'd be all up on that myself."

If Andre wasn't completely angry before, he was furious now. This was a middle-aged man lusting over a 17-year-old girl, first off and his sense of morality combined with his inner feelings for Cat only amplified his resolve.

"I'm warning you one last time, leave us alone." though his expression was unreadable, it was apparent that he was no longer tolerating this short, debacle. "Cat, take a few steps behind me," he whispered, mentally preparing for the inevitable.

"But, Andre," she was silenced by a swift look over his shoulder that left no room for debate.

It seemed that the men were thinking the same thing, the leader motioned for them to attack. As the duo rushed him, it grew increasingly evident that, while he was outnumbered, he still held the advantage in skill. The thug on the left, a balding man who looked as if he was in his mid-forties, threw a sloppy right hook that Andre easily ducked under. The other male tried to tackle the boy only to have him twist his body over his and kick his partner square in the chest, taking him out of the battle before it even officially started. The one who lunged at him barely had time to turn around, feeling his legs being swept from under him with relative ease. As gravity dragged him to earth, the final thing he remembered was a solid boot crashing down on his sternum, sending him crashing on the concrete with a sickening crunch.

"Two down," his tone was low and full of darkness as he sharply turned his gaze to the remaining threat. "One to go."

Seeing his buddy's taken out so easily, the lecherous old man tightening his grip on the knife, although it little to hide how shaky his hands were. "S-stay back, brat!" his voice cracked, panic lacing each word.

This didn't phase Andre one bit, as he stalked closer to the one who dares speak that way of the girl he cared for.

Terror only grew in the man's heart and it showed when he thrust the weapon at him only to miss when the boy spun around his clumsy attack. The man soon found his arm being twisted at the shoulder by Andre who had no mercy intended for the pervert. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't break your arm right now." he seethed, venom shining behind his eyes.

"Ow! I need to use it!" he cried, even more, when he felt his shoulder began popping from the hold tightening.

"I said a GOOD reason, asshole!" he spat.

"Andre! Let him go!" Cat shrieked. "You're hurting him!"

Shaking his head, Andre Harris looked on at her horrified face before realizing everything that had just happened. This went far beyond just protecting Cat from some two-bit hoodlums. This was a relentless need to inflict pain that only grew from his past with Yerba. His mind revived the memories of him being scared of the inmates and guards, unable to protect even himself before they made their escape; that one night that changed everything for him. The guard that almost caught he and Cat had it not been for Robbie's distraction. Prior to that, his resolve was dicey, at best. It wasn't until after getting away from the prison that he finally made up in his mind that he wouldn't hesitate if it came down to him protecting someone, especially Cat.

But, this wasn't who he was though.

Andre loosened his grip, shoving the man away from him and Cat. "Beat it..." he muttered, eyes conflicted but retaining enough malice to cause the man and his buddies to run off. This feeling of rage, he hated it but, he couldn't lie that a part of him absolutely savored the power he held over the men. "I'm sorry," he whispered, ashamed of his actions. "I don't know what happened." His body trembled, something Cat noticed right away as she approached him cautiously. Her gaze was a mystery to him and only fueled his guilt.

"It's alright, Andre." she wrapped her arms around his waist, hearing the erratic pulse of his heart. Each beat was inconsistent due to the adrenaline course through his body. "I'm just glad you stopped."

"Cat," he couldn't fathom how she was okay with letting the creep get away. "he was thinking of doing bad things."

To his shock, she fired back with her usual smile. "But he didn't, thanks to you."

Hating to admit it, he couldn't help but agree with her.

"Okay, Cat. You're right and, I'm sorry if I scared you." a small smirk graced his lips followed by the touch of hers onto his. "What was that for?"

He watched as she took a couple of steps back, her body swaying from side to side. "Well, you did just save me." she held up one digit, smiling from ear to ear. "But, it was also because..." he kicked the ground lightly, nerves creeping back up again. "...we did have unfinished business, didn't we?"

"Yeah, we do." he nodded, holding a hand out to her. "I believe I was waiting for your response to whether or not you'll date me."

Of course, this confused Cat for a few moments until realization hit. "I don't remember you asking me." she frowned playfully with arms tucked under her breasts.

Letting out a chuckle, Andre watched as she took his hand. "Then, would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend, Cat Valentine?"

The air of uncertainty grew thicker around him as Cat looked to be seriously considering whether or not she would. He received his answer in the form of her standing on the tips of her toes and giving him a quick kiss. "I thought you'd never ask." she giggled.

With their relationship newly formed, the couple interlocked fingers and continued their moonlight walk, stealing kisses every so often.

* * *

 **Well, I am pleased to announce that not only have we passed the 2000 views mark, but are nearly at 2200 views. I was going to wait but I'm am so grateful for you all who have made this worth writing. I will be working on two holiday-themed chapters coming. Since it's the season for Halloween, that'll be the focus of the next chapter and Christmas will be the theme of the one after that. After much consideration, I will be bringing Trina back sometime after I finish the holiday portions.**

 **As thanks for your support, I may create some one-shots for those who may be interested. They'll most likely not be canon, but they'll be dedicated to those who'd like me too. If you have an OC and would like to pair them up with someone from Demons Within, then drop of review or pm and we can work out the details. I will send an application for your OC and then get to work in between chapters of the main story. This is just my way of giving back to you all.**

 **For now, feel free to drop me a message or review about this and other chapters. I'm more than happy to answer any questions either directly or in upcoming chapters. It's always a pleasure to feedback and interact with you all if possible, and if you'd rather not, I'm equally as happy that you all enjoy reading this fic. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and stay tuned for the next!**


	23. Chapter 20

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 20: Help! Our Girlfriends are Possessed!**

There are nights when the wolves are silent,  
and the moon howls.

-George Carlin

* * *

The boys were out of breath, their muscles burning and aching from running all night.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

What was supposed to be a night of spooky fun had taken a turn for the worst for the four terrified males. Currently, they had found themselves together again after, initially, splitting up to evade their pursuers. Sweat coated them like a wet blanket, stinging their eyes and, no doubt leaving a scent for those that sought to claim them. Somehow, their trails all led to Hollywood Arts, more specifically, Lane's office where they remained hidden behind the many different pieces of furniture scattered around the room. Each remained perfectly still behind their respective hiding spot until the sounds of footsteps faded down the hallway.

Andre was the first to peak out from behind the desk, eyes frantically scanning the dark room; the only form of light coming from the streetlight located near the window. Sensing there was no longer an immediate, at least for the time being, he motioned over to the bookcase. "You guy, alright?" he huffed, careful not to talk too loudly.

Beck gave a thumbs up from the darkness shrouding his body. Seeing this, he turned towards the therapy couch, finding both Liam and Robbie peering around either end. "You two okay?" he whispered. After seeing them nod repeatedly, he sighed in relief. Waiting a few more moments, the four finally emerge, though stayed near their respective spots. "Man, how the heck did we wind up in this mess?"

"Because someone decided to spike the punch with, Lord only knows, what." Beck cut his eyes at none other than Robbie Shapiro who now held his hands up defensively. The others then turned their gazes to the curly haired boy as well.

"Wait a minute, I only spiked the punch because Liam said that we needed to spice up the party!" he pointed to the clearly annoyed boy.

"That didn't mean put some random liquid in the bowl..." he hissed viciously, thwarting his attempts at passing the blame.

Andre, being the only voice of reason at the moment, got in between them. "Whatever. It doesn't matter who's to blame right now." he calmly stated. "Right now, we have to focus on finding a safer place to hide until the girls calm down." Seeing them all nod in agreement, he scratched his head inquisitively. "By the way, what did you put in the punch, Robbie?"

"Um, it was something called "Yohimbe* Essence" I picked up from some old lady near the dorms." he shrugged. "It smelled pretty good so I thought it would really make the punch even sweeter."

While Andre and Beck exchanged looks of confusion, Liam just stared at the boy as if he'd grown a second head at that point. "You did what?" he shuddered as the trio turned to him. "Robbie, do you know what Yohimbe is?" As expected, he shook his head slowly. "It's a fruit located in Africa that's been proven to stimulate sexually. Did you at least check for any other ingredients?"

"Of course," he rubbed his neck sheepishly. "It was made with jasmine oil, crushed damiana leaves, and something called ylang-ylang inside of it."

Liam's eye twitched, showing his ever-increasing frustration with the boy building faster with each passing second. "You're an idiot," he muttered. "Those are all forms of natural stimulants for women. Individually, they can entice or even cause a heightened level of attraction, but, they've been drinking the punch nearly all evening. Combine with that, the fact that the bowl got spilled on us, it also serves as an aphrodisiac that basically marks us as their prey."

"I'm sorry," Robbie whined. "I didn't know it would have that kind of effect on them."

Now it was Beck's turn to play mediator.

"Arguing isn't going to help us right now. The best thing we can do is find a better place to hide and hopefully rid ourselves of this scent. Perhaps your dorms will be a good place?" Both boys glared at one another but confirmed his idea. "Okay, so it's agreed. We'll all crash at your dorm until it's safe. We can worry about getting home later on. Deal?"

"Deal." the remaining three held out their fists, proving their dedication to the plan.

"If something goes wrong, try and make it to my RV. It's a much longer way, but it's probably the last place they'd look at this point."

One by one, they filed out of the room. Tension rested on their shoulders as one or the other scanned the silent and, hopefully, empty hallways. All the while, Liam's mind replayed the events that transpired.

* * *

 **One Week Ago**

Several weeks passed and the gang soon found themselves nearing one of their most favorite times of the year. Throughout the month, they would find themselves checking out spooky decorations or horror-themed events taking place at school. This could only mean one thing: Halloween.

That meant that it was time for Tori's annual (and final) Halloween party.

Everyone was talking about it, as Liam would find out as he pressed towards his locker. You see, unlike the eager and excited masses, he actually avoided this time of year thanks, in no small part, to the older sister of his girlfriend (and former lover), Trina Vega." He made it a point to omit that from his list of reasons he couldn't attend and the two never wanted to force him to come in the past. However, this year, things would be different.

Liam was picking at his chicken sandwich, a sign of his irritation for the cursed holiday and ignoring the others conversations about something revolving about the party. In the midst of his ignoring the others, he failed to notice a certain pale skinned beauty sneaking up behind him. In one swift motion, she placed her hands over his eyes, robbing him of his sight temporarily.

"Guess who?" she cooed in his ear.

"Um, Tori?" he smirked, unable to see the horror on the others faces. A solid punch to his shoulder gave him his answer as he turned to find Jade with a deep frown on her face. "I was just playing, Jade." he put his hands up.

Clearly annoyed, Jade rolled her eyes as he pulled her closer and kissed her cheek. "Alright, I forgive you." Before he could say anything though, he felt a freshly manicured nail poking his chest. "But, if you call me Vega again, I'll definitely make you pay."

Watching him stare blankly, she grinned before grabbing a piece of his sandwich.

"So, what are you spazzes going as for Tori's party?" she asked, mouth full of chicken, bread, and whatever toppings were added.

"Tori asked me to take care of the music, so I'll be behind the DJ's booth for a little while," Andre noted in between bites of his french fries. "After that, I'll be hanging with Cat for the remainder of the night. What about you guys?"

Beck muttered something about bringing a date, but Robbie had a wide smile. "Well, I'm in charge of snacks and drinks so I'll be heading to the store with Ahrya after school to get that stuff."

This only left one person: Liam.

"What are you doing during the party, tiger?" she nudged him, her azure eyes flashing a seductive gaze.

"Studying." he flatly stated, taking another bite soon after. "The same thing I do every year around this time."

If death had a look, Jade's face would've been the perfect representation of that.

"Excuse me?" she raised an eyebrow, interested and peeved with his reply. "So you're telling me that you're not going to our final Halloween party, leaving your girlfriends all alone at the party?"

Finally turning to see her challenging look, Liam shook his head. "That's not going to work, Jade."

"Then, at least tell me why you really go." she crossed her arms tightly under her breasts, her jaw now tightly knit in frustration with her boyfriend. "This is our first official party as a couple or... together, and you're just going to bail on us?"

At this point, it was getting more and more evident by Jade's tone that Liam was skating on thin ice. Of course, while he was no expert, he wasn't a novice in slipping out of tight situations. "Okay, I'll make you a deal. If something happens where you can guarantee that I can get my music theory homework for Mr. Hawkins out of the way, then I'll go without another word."

"You sure?" her scowl of skepticism growing slowly with each second.

"Jade," he placed his hands on her arms. Behind his eyes, she saw nothing but sincerity. "I promise you."

Suddenly, she felt that same feeling that, whether she loved or hated it, drove her nuts. Her lips twitched into a warm smile that still shocked Andre and the others. "Okay, we can try and knock out this homework after school. Sound good?"

"That sounds perfect." he flashed a goofy grin that neither she nor Tori could help but love.

In truth, Liam knew that this assignment would take him at least another week to complete. Now, with Jade's help, he might complete it by the end of the weekend; just enough time for him to miss the party at Tori's party. With the warfare avoided, Andre sighed in relief just prior to him looking up to a sight that was well known to him.

"Hi, guys!" the cheerful Cat waved like a little child, much to Andre delight. After the two became a couple, they were practically inseparable unless you counted classes and them having to go home. With the two understanding that the other had another side hidden from everyone, they only managed to draw closer emotionally.

"Hey Cat!" he hugged her tightly. If possible, his skin seemed to brighten a few shades as he smiled brightly.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you two were in love." Jade rubbed her chin as the two looked at her with worried expressions while breaking apart. A self-proclaimed reader of people, Jade West stared at the two as if looking for something.

"Jade, that's ridiculous." Beck tried to drag her attention from the couple, though to no avail. Whatever was going on, she wasn't about to let up until she figured it out.

Robbie opened his mouth to add on to the conversation but found himself at a loss for words.

"Relax, Jade. You'll burn a hole through them if you don't let up." Liam chuckled only to find himself pushed out of his seat. "OW!" he groaned.

"Whatever, I know something's going on and I'm going to find out," she warned, firing an evil smirk in the duo's direction. "Nothing escapes me."

"Except a proper use of emotions," Liam muttered, before noticing her once again shooting him a sinister glare that said 'we're going to have a talk later'. "Ah, man..."

"A-anyway," Andre chimed in, hoping to change the subject. "You look like you wanted to say something, Cat?"

As if forgetting the last few, pressure fueled minutes entirely, she nodded and started bouncing on her heels. "Yeah!" she replied excitedly.

"Well?" Robbie rubbed his hands in interest.

"Well what?" she stared at him, blinking in confusion.

"What were you about to tell us, Cat?" Beck rubbed his neck.

"Oh right!" as if a wall had been lifted from her memory, she smiled once again. "I just came from Mr. Hawkins classroom." At that moment, two pairs of eyes darted in her direction, one filled with intrigue and the other, worry. "Apparently, Principal Helen has been getting a lot of complaints about how hard the Music Theory homework was," Jade turned, silently watching her lover's reactions. He remained perfectly stiff as a board, but his heart was speeding inside of his ribcage. "So she made him drop the whole assignment!" she bounced up and down with joy. Giggling, she finally noticed Liam who had his head buried in his hands. "Isn't that great, Liam?"

The only sound he made was incoherent mumbling.

"Trust me Cat," Jade spoke up, a sickening glee filled her body. "He couldn't be happier."

Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled Liam into a hug that saw his face being pressed into her chest.

Liam was going to that party after all.

"I guess we're going shopping for costumes, tiger." she gloated.

* * *

As the week progressed, the night of the party arrived. Tori, Robbie, and Ahrya were the first ones to arrive and help set up the decorations. From there, the trio fixed up the refreshments and entertainment for the party before going to change into the night's personas. Robbie had decided to go as Hal Jordan's Green Lantern, confident that he was able to fill out the suit perfectly. Ahrya stepped out dressed as Aveline from Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation. Tori finally took the opportunity to get into the bathroom and change, giving the couple instructions to let the guests in when they arrived.

Within half an hour, the first wave arrived and slowly filled the house. Andre and Cat soon arrived themselves dressed as Jack Skellington and Sally from "A Nightmare before Christmas. The former took his spot out in the backyard and began setting up the tunes for everyone to jam out. A few more people showed up, a slightly disgruntled Beck amongst them. He came dressed as Connor Kenway from Assassin's Creed 3, an observation not missed by Ahrya.

That left Jade and Liam to be the final ones of the group to arrive.

A couple of hours flew by and still, there was no sign of the two. This didn't sit well with Tori Vega, who began to suspect that the two skipped out on the party altogether. A twinge of betrayal began to worm its way into her heart as she fought back tears. Slipping through the crowd, she managed to hide out in her room, for the most part, sulking at not seeing her boyfriend or girlfriend at her party. She pulled off the orange wig, nearly content with removing the purple long sleeved crop top and mini skirt when a knock at the door startled her.

"Yes?" she meekly answered.

The door opened revealing someone outfitted in a dark brown hooded jacket, a grey, and black armored vest, black pants tucked into matching boots and a red helmet that completely hid the wearer's identity. "Hey, are you okay?"

Whoever was asking, Tori couldn't tell due to the helmet changing the person's voice. "Yeah, I'm just a little upset. It's nothing." she averted her gaze.

"Let me guess, your date stood you up?" the male leaned against the door.

Though she didn't recognize his voice, Tori could tell there was a bit of amusement behind his words. "What's it to you? Do you alway just randomly show up in a girl's room without permission?" she glared, her green contacts giving off a more fiery gaze than intended.

"Whoa! Sorry," he held his hands up. "I didn't think I needed permission to check up on my girlfriend."

"What?" She squinted as the mysterious figure chuckled softly while reaching behind his head. Tori heard a few clicks and then watched as he removed the scarlet helmet. A few stray locs poured out first then the entirety of its owner's face was exposed. "Liam!" she smiled brightly.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," he whispered before finding himself having to drop the item to catch the girl who leaped into his arms, planting a big kiss on his lips. "On second thought, maybe I should be late more often."

Pressing his forehead against hers, he silently apologized repeatedly until another voice broke their mental conversation.

"Alright, can we enjoy the party now?" Jade entered from around the corner. "Or does Vega need another moment to compose herself."

Blushing profusely, Tori hopped out of her lover's arms and grabbed her wig in hopes of getting it on just right. Once adjusted to her satisfaction, she looked on to see Jade outfit in a black leotard that showed off her shapely legs and a dark violet hooded cloak. Upon closer inspection, she noticed the small red diamond shaped jewel in the middle of her forehead.

"Raven?" she snorted at her choice of costume. "I can see we're trying to hold Liam's attention."

Rolling her eyes, Jade pointed at her lover and former rival. "Says the girl who's dressed as Starfire. I swear, if you show any more skin, we might have to buy you a pole to go with the outfit."

Liam, sensing a potential 'discussion' on the horizon, stepped in between the two in hopes of keeping the peace.

"Don't you two think we should be getting back to the party? I bet Cat's missing you both right now."

Neither wanted to concede defeat to the other, but it seemed it couldn't be helped as they found themselves being led out of the bedroom by their exasperated boyfriend.

* * *

Back in the present, the boys found themselves creeping cautiously through the halls of Hollywood Arts High School. They each kept their head on a swivel so that they could avoid being spotted by their sex-crazed girlfriends. Beck pulled off his hood to give himself access to his peripheral vision as he was the one leading the charge to freedom. By this point, they had managed to make it through the school. Unfortunately, it was being watched by two of the girls dressed as Starfire and Sally. Andre and Liam resisted the urge to facepalm. With only one known way in and out of the building, the boys retreated back to the depths of the hallways, desperate to find another means of escape.

Their journey took them near the quad, only to find that the door leading out was, as expected, chained shut.

"Dammit..." Robbie scoffed. "Can this get any worse?"

Before anyone could chastise him for asking such a cliche, sounds of boots clicking against the hard floor froze them dead in their tracks. It was Liam that gathered the courage, or foolishness (you decide), to turn around. What he saw nearly made him shit his pants. Standing before them, Jade had her hands on her hips and a cocky smirk on her lips, but what really worried them all were her her eyes. While normally a shade of azure, the boys could see that her iris' were glowing a deep shade of violet, matching her costume.

 **"Going somewhere fellas?"** she tilted her head slightly to the right, feigning hurt; duel voices resonating from the lone girl's mouth.

The four exchanged worried glances when an idea popped in one of their heads. Suddenly, a distracted Liam felt six hands giving him a light shove, causing him to stumble. After regaining his footing, he smiled awkwardly at his haunting girl. "Hey, umm... Jade?" he half waved. "I am talking to Jade, right?"

 **"Of course, Liam."** her smile grew to ear-splitting proportions. **"Don't you recognize me?"**

He nodded frantically, trying miserably to hide his discomfort. "Of course I do! I just um, forgot how purple your eyes were?"

Sensing where the conversation was heading, Jade closed her eyes only to open them once more, revealing her shiny blue orbs completely devoid of any supernatural glow. "Is this more to your satisfaction, my lover?" Her normal voice returning, the uneasiness seemed to slowly fade a bit, as he stood completely still. "Tori and I have much we'd like to show you."

Liam couldn't understand, something was clearly wrong as he felt his feet rooted to this spot. Whatever was going on, he couldn't shake it off as the pale skinned girl approached him. The purple hair flowed upward, a clear indicator of something being amiss, and her eyes began to glow once more. That familiar sensation of terror rising up his spine, Liam could feel the cold sweat trailing down his forehead as his mind screamed for his body to run. She stopped her face mere centimeters from his own.

"You're mine," she whispered, insatiable lust dripping from her lips. **"Just give in and be mine."**

Whether he wanted to believe it or not, he was entranced by her very essence. As she leaned in, he felt his self-control leaving him. Everything around him faded into obscurity. All he heard, all he saw was her. He'd seen enough to know that his fate would be sealed once she kissed him. His eyes gradually grew heavier as Jade's lips inched closer to his own.

"What about Tori?"

She froze, brows furrowed in confusion. **"What?"**

Beck stepped from the three. "That's not what I heard from her a few minutes ago."

Not sure about how to feel about his words, Jade fixed her gaze upon her ex-boyfriend. **"What are you jabbering about?"**

Though nervous under the watchful eyes of his influenced ex, Beck didn't falter, instead choosing to let a cocky smirk settle on his lips.

"I'm just saying, we heard Tori talking to Cat about stealing Liam for herself after you've all captured us."

 **"You're lying..." the creature's voice, smooth and full of seductive power, retained a measure of warning. "We agreed to share him."**

"As a succubus," he watched as Jade's eyes widened at his discovery. "you should know that you're governed by lust, correct?" her silence gave him his answer. "Between Jade and Tori, the latter has more pent up sexual frustration since she's a virgin. What's stopping her from betraying you and claiming him for herself?"

As expected, Beck's words struck a chord with, not the demoness, but Jade West who was trapped inside. The face of Jade contorted into a twisted frown of anger as she whipped her body in the direction of her supposed allies. With her back turned, Beck took the opportunity to capitalize on this opportunity. **"There's no way Vega would..."**

They were gone; nowhere to be found.

Her roar bounced off of the lockers as the four ducked into the locker room that led to the back of the gym. Once inside, they each felt the same thing as she stormed past their hiding spot: Pure. Unadulterated. Rage. If it wasn't before, being caught definitely wasn't on any of their agendas as they finally released the breath none realized they'd been holding all of this time. Robbie and Andre worked to find anything that could be used to block the door, setting up some of the benches on top of each other for the time being.

In the meantime, Liam began to snap out of the hold placed upon him by Jade. "W-what happened?" he groaned while clutching his throbbing dome.

"You were being controlled but you'll be alright, for now," Beck assured, helping him to his feet. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been hit by a Semi-truck." he leaned against one of the stalls and flexed his fingers. "But I'm glad I can move my body again."

"Well it's safe to say," the three looked at a spooked Beck. "we're dealing with some supernatural shit."

"About that," Andre was the one to chime in. "What was that nonsense about Jade being a demon or something?"

"Wouldn't be a surprise..." Robbie muttered, missing the dark glare from Liam.

Shaking his head at the offhanded comment, Beck exhaled softly. "It wasn't nonsense, Andre. Think about it; we all saw her eyes glowing a completely different color and her voice sounded like there were two people speaking at the same time." he cut his gaze at his best friend. "On top of all of that, Liam lost all control over his body after, we um..."

"You all fed me to the wolf." he deadpanned, arms crossed in irritation.

"Right, anyway... Do those things sound like nonsense?" Andre and Robbie shook their heads. "Exactly, so there's only one explanation for all of this."

"Succubus..." Liam interrupted, his lips curling into a bitter smirk. "Jade's a succubus, right?"

Beck nodded. "But not just her though, Tori and the other's are too."

"Fan-fucking-tastic." Robbie and Andre shared a look that exuded confusion; the former receiving a look of judgment from both Beck and Liam.

"Robbie," Liam's low tone, sent a shiver down the boy's spine. "I think there was more than some aphrodisiacs in that concoction you put in the punch."

* * *

 **Earlier that night...**

After succeeding in getting Tori out of her room, Liam and Jade wasted little time in getting her back to the party. Even despite his initial uneasiness, Liam found himself actually enjoying the festivities. From dancing to playing one of the various games, he could honestly say that he was having fun. At this moment, he was bobbing for apples against Beck and another kid dressed as Super Mario. During this, he found himself tied with his close friend at ten apples each trying to outdo the pretty boy assassin.

"Wow, I didn't know Liam was so good with his mouth!" Cat innocently cheered.

"We did." Tori/Jade piped up simultaneously, neither bothering to hide the satisfied leer in their eyes.

It took a moment for Cat before she finally gasped in shock. "That's dirty..."

Neither cared though, especially Jade, as they cheered on their companion.

The two were neck and neck, for the most part, each expertly holding their breath and clutching the delicious fruit for victory's sake. In the end, one managed to edge out the other by just one apple when the buzzer sounded. Breathing hard, those watching cheered on the drenched contestants when Andre showed up to calm them down.

"Alright everyone," he held a hand out to the three. "let's give a big hand for these guys! This was obviously close but it after counting, we have the results." The crowd simmered down, only a few murmurs here and there being heard as Andre grabbed the prize, an envelope with $200. "In third place, Timothy Nichols." the disappointed Mario Brother walked away into the crowd. "This leaves us with Liam or Beck as out winner. Who do you think won?"

The students all cheered for who they thought would win. Interestingly enough, the results were split down the middle between the girls as well with Tori and Jade calling for Liam while Ahrya and Cat called out Beck's name. Within a few seconds, Andre looked at the pile of apples behind them before grabbing the tally cards.

"According to the cards, our winner is..." everyone leaned forward, eager to know the answer. "Beck Oliver who had 31 apples to Liam's 30!"

The small crowd cheered him on while both Andre and Liam shook hands with the winner. Eruptions of joy filled the house as he collected his prize and stepped from the area to get some air. Jade, though not pleased with the outcome, still clapped. "I'm going to get some punch," she announced. "Anyone want some?"

"Oh! I love punch!" Cat raised her hands in glee while holding on to her bouncing wig. "I want some!"

"Noted." she droned playfully before turning to Tori. "What about you, Starfire?" she wagged her eyebrows suggestively.

"Sure, all that cheering really made my throat dry." Tori rubbed her neck, failing to withhold a grimace.

"I know something that'll help with that." she winked, earning herself a groan from her next 'victim'.

"Forget that," she shook her head in disgust. "I'll just go with you and get my own."

Shrugging, Jade didn't argue. "Suit yourself." To be honest, the goth really didn't want to get her anything. It was only after a long talk with both of her significant others about being nice for the sake of her being Liam's sister, that she even offered in the first place.

Unknown to them, Robbie had taken the distraction of the competition to spike the punch.

The two approached the refreshment table, neither uttering a word to the other until Ahrya drew some of the red liquid into her cup. "Listen, Jade?" she looked over to see that she had the girl's attention. "I know that we haven't seen eye to eye but," she bit her bottom lip. "I'd like to think that, maybe we could bury the hatchet?" Not understanding where this 'apology' was coming from, Jade simply raised an eyebrow, her eyes filled with pure distrust for the girl who shared blood with her beloved. "I know you have no reason to accept my apology, especially after Robbie and I called you a-"

"A witch and a monster?" Jade spat with searing venom, seeing the girl cower a little from her small outburst.

"Yeah, that..." she meekly nodded. "I'm really sorry for that. I was just angry at the fact that Liam was choosing someone over me, his sister. He's really the only family I have and I know that he's going to move on and get married one day, but I guess I overreacted."

"That's an understatement." Jade lifted her cup to take a sip of the cool liquid, quickly noticing right away that something was off with it. "Great, someone probably spiked this." she coughed at the bitterness of the drink. "If I wasn't so thirsty, I'd pour this out right now and find the dumbass who did it."

Taking a sniff of her own cup, Ahrya looked up to see Jade chug down the remaining punch before going off to bring Tori and Cat their own cups. Needless to say, this little attempt was a massive failure and yet, she still held a soft smile. "At least I tried... Maybe next time."

As the hours passed, the multitude grew smaller and smaller as many of the students were growing tired from the fun or they had other responsibilities to take care of on this frightful holiday. Soon, only a few remained to clean up as Tori decided that it was time for them to clean up. The clock flashed 10:17 pm when things began to take a turn for the worst. Andre was the first to notice something was off when he headed to the bathroom. As he turned the corner, he rushed inside and began to handle his business. Relief washed over him as he did what was needed but failed to notice that he wasn't alone.

"I'm impressed." an airy voice nearly caused him to jump. As his heart rattled against his rib cage, Andre found himself staring down the image of Cat smirking as he stood in front of her, naked from the waist down. What was even more outrageous was her reaction to this. While he tried to apologize for his nudity, she simply waved it off as if this was normal to her. "It's not a problem, love." her voice, while hers spoke in a way that didn't seem right. "I was bound to see it eventually."

"Wait, what?" he asked in disbelief. "What's gotten into you?"

She shut the door behind her and slowly sashayed to him. "It's more about what I want in me, baby."

Almost immediately, Andre found himself slowly maneuvering his way past his girlfriend. "As fun as that sounds," he wagged a finger. "we agreed to let the relationship build before anything sexual. Doing that would jeopardize that, don't you agree?"

"But Andre?" she pouted, sticking her bottom lip out. "I'm ready now."

If possible, his eyes would've grown to the size of soccer balls as Cat placed her hand on his groin, giving it a rather rough squeeze.

"Mhmm... I see," he winced. "Perhaps we should... talk about this later, in private?"

He soon found himself rushing out of the bathroom, buckling his belt in the process. As he made his way downstairs, he found himself witnessing a sight that, while normally not uncommon, surprised him. Liam, Beck, and Robbie were cornered by Tori, Jade, and Ahrya who blocked their only way of escape. "What's going on here?" he called out, startling the girls.

They all turned around, giving the boys their chance to slip through the garage door. The angry trio then turned their attention to Andre who, with a dumb smile, inched away out of the front door, running for his life behind the others.

That's how all of this started.

* * *

Back in the present, the boys had managed to catch their breaths and were formulating a plan for escape. Safe to say, they weren't doing so well with that.

"Come on guys, we have to come up with something." Beck groaned from the frustration welling up inside of him. "Can't we come up with anything that doesn't involve one of us being a sacrifice?"

"To be honest, I don't see why you're complaining." Robbie pointed out. "You and Andre seem to be the only ones not being pursued personally. I have Ahrya and Liam has to face both Tori and Jade, and we all saw what happened when just one of them found him."

At that moment, Andre coughed soft enough to get their attention without alerting anyone outside of their location. "Don't forget, Cat tried to pull something like that before I found you guys cornered. So, I'd be out too..."

"Okay, well... logically, you'd be the only one without a direct girl hunting them but you made a good point though." Liam pushed off of the wall supporting him. "As Jade, or whatever is inside of her was talking to me, I could feel myself losing myself like, my very being was being drained."

A bead of sweat ran down the side of Beck's forehead, knowing the truth behind him being caught up with Liam and Robbie. "Maybe we should split up in pairs?" This got everyone glancing at him. Before any of them could protest, he held up a hand. "Think about this, Liam has to deal with both Tori and Jade right?"

"Don't remind me..." he grumbled.

"Well, it would be in his favor for him to have someone who can run interference and even the numbers game."

"I'm in..." Liam smirked with rising confidence. "Beck and I can lead Tori and Jade away while you two get over to the dorms. Once there, you two can figure out an antidote for this mess." He eyed Robbie especially. "There has to be something that can be used to reverse this."

Not really having any rebuttal, he silently nodded.

"Alright, so the dorms are located south of the school so you two stay here and keep watch until after we get the girl's attention. You can sneak out and have a head start on Ahrya and Cat. Sound good?"

"Gotcha." Andre gave a thumbs up.

"Alright, but be careful. I didn't mean for things to escalate this far." A remorseful Robbie bowed his head in shame.

Surprisingly, he felt two hands clap onto his shoulders. He then looked up to find the grinning faces of his friends.

"Look, we can fix things after we surviving this ordeal okay?" Liam chuckled as if he didn't have a care in the world. "We're in this together, so there's no need in shouldering things all by yourself. Now, you two should head to the janitor's closet and use that hidden tunnel to slip into the library, those windows are typically unlocked and you'll find yourself a clear way out."

Sighing, he adjusted his glasses and took his position behind the double doors with Andre. Smiles instantly disappeared once Beck and Liam stood at the proverbial door of fate. Each took a moment to reflect, unsure of their future should things go bad for them.

"You ready for this?" Beck bumped his arm with a fist. "You can alway turn back now."

Taking that as a challenge, Liam shook his head with a small smile. "So you can hog all of the glory for yourself? No way." he returned the gesture. "Besides, we've we survived much worse than some lust filled demon."

Shrugging, Beck started for the door. "Just thought I'd ask."

"Let's do this." Green eyes lit up with a fire of determination only seen by few before.

* * *

 **Alright, let's get through this Author's Notes as quickly as possible. I apologize for the abrupt stoppage but I was finding this chapter running a bit longer than expected. This means that there will be a part two that will be written and posted as soon as possible. In fact, at the time you all will have read this, I could hopefully be either halfway or over halfway finished and posting that within a few hours or at least the same day. I was hoping to avoid having to write two chapters but, in this case, it couldn't be helped.**

 **Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this and look out for the next chapter within the day. See you all soon and be enjoy your night/morning.**


	24. Chapter 21

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 21: Shadow of the Dawn**

There are nights when the wolves are silent,  
and the moon howls.

-George Carlin

* * *

 **Previously on Demons Within:**

A bead of sweat ran down the side of Beck's forehead, knowing the truth behind him being caught up with Liam and Robbie. "Maybe we should split up in pairs?" This got everyone glancing at him. Before any of them could protest, he held up a hand. "Think about this, Liam has to deal with both Tori and Jade right?"

"Don't remind me..." he grumbled.

"Well, it would be in his favor for him to have someone who can run interference and even the numbers game."

"I'm in..." Liam smirked with rising confidence. "Beck and I can lead Tori and Jade away while you two get over to the dorms. Once there, you two can figure out an antidote for this mess." He eyed Robbie especially. "There has to be something that can be used to reverse this."

Not really having any rebuttal, he silently nodded.

"Alright, so the dorms are located south of the school so you two stay here and keep watch until after we get the girl's attention. You can sneak out and have a head start on Ahrya and Cat. Sound good?"

"Gotcha." Andre gave a thumbs up.

"Alright, but be careful. I didn't mean for things to escalate this far." A remorseful Robbie bowed his head in shame.

Surprisingly, he felt two hands clap onto his shoulders. He then looked up to find the grinning faces of his friends.

"Look, we can fix things after we surviving this ordeal okay?" Liam chuckled as if he didn't have a care in the world. "We're in this together, so there's no need in shouldering things all by yourself. Now, you two should head to the janitor's closet and use that hidden tunnel to slip into the library, those windows are typically unlocked and you'll find yourself a clear way out."

Sighing, he adjusted his glasses and took his position behind the double doors with Andre. Smiles instantly disappeared once Beck and Liam stood at the proverbial door of fate. Each took a moment to reflect, unsure of their future should things go bad for them.

"You ready for this?" Beck bumped his arm with a fist. "You can always turn back now."

Taking that as a challenge, Liam shook his head with a small smile. "So you can hog all of the glory for yourself? No way." he returned the gesture. "Besides, we've we survived much worse than some lust filled demon."

Shrugging, Beck started for the door. "Just thought I'd ask."

"Let's do this." Green eyes lit up with a fire of determination only seen by few before.

* * *

The gymnasium was dead silent, only increasing the two's anxiety. Studying their surroundings, Liam and Beck spared a swift glance over their shoulders, content once the doors shut quietly behind them. Knowing that their friends were safe within the locker room, they turned their focus to the task at hand:

Facing the demons.

Making it to the door, Liam stopped in his tracks. "Beck, let me ask you something."

"Sure. What is it?" he turned but kept his head on a swivel.

"How do you know so much about the supernatural?" while his raised eyebrow insinuated suspicion, behind his eyes, there was nothing besides concern.

Smirking, Beck placed a hand on his shoulder while flashing a look that asked 'Isn't it obvious?'.

"I used to date Jade before you, remember?"

Staring blankly, Liam proceeded to push open the door leading them to the hallway. "Fair enough."

As if on cue, Robbie and Andre followed through with their part of the plan, creeping behind the bleachers to avoid being spotted until they were able to slip out as well on their way to the janitor's closet.

The duo, dressed as Red Hood and Connor Kenway respectively, trekked through the creepily decorated hallway. While the latter wasn't perturbed, the former was growing increasingly wary of the fake cobwebs and dark figures placed in various spots. It was enough to give a guy a heart attack if he didn't already know that they were fake which only served to annoy him even more.

"So, do you think they can make it?" Liam whispered, keeping his gaze rotating every so often.

"Well, Robbie can still be a chicken sometimes and Andre has a knack for survival. Should it happen where they'd need to, they could outrun Cat and Ahrya and get away to safety. Don't worry about them," his face contorted into a soft frown. "The real question is, are you ready to face this? I mean after what happened last time, you were nearly about to lose your mind to her."

"No," he flatly retorted. "My soul... She wanted my soul, tis the ways of a succubus."

 **"You flatter us."**

That voice, though not Jade's, still held a high degree of familiarity. Neither turned to face the owner of the voice, not that it would've changed anything. They just stood in place, feeling that sense of dread crawling through their bodies like an infection. "Sup, Tori?"

 **"Hello, my prey."** She stood in her outfit, a hand placed on her hip. **"Won't you going to acknowledge the others?"**

"Others?" the two turned around, finding themselves standing across from a possessed Tori, Ahrya, and furious Jade. "Oh, shit..."

 **"Judging by your faces, as well as our sister's,"** Tori's eyes began to shine a bright shade of green as her mouth formed a wicked grin. **"I believe you are, what you humans call, fucked."**

To the controlled girls, this was checkmate but for the boys, this was what they wanted. "You sent Cat after the other two, I'm assuming?" Beck's eyes narrowed.

The demoness assassin nodded. "She can handle those two with ease, but you two are who we want." she pointed.

That was unexpected.

While able to understand them hunting Liam, it was something completely new to hear that Beck was also on their list. They could raise an argument that the creature inside of Jade wanted to enact vengeance against him for tricking her out of her desire but there was no time to waste. Placing their hood and helmet on respectively, the two made a mad dash down the hallway, hoping to put some distance between them and the haunted girls.

 **"They're getting away!"** Jade roared again.

 **"Relax, sister,"** Tori smirked, her lips curling up more and more. **"Prey is always more delicious after a good hunt. Besides, there's no way out for them."**

With that said, the trio gave chase, floating at high speeds.

Liam and Beck managed to duck and dodge anything that could double as an obstacle while rushing through the winding hallways. Despite their dwindling energy, it was their fear of being caught that pushed them to press on. With no discernable sign of them being followed, they spared a moment to slow down, ducking behind a set of lockers, shielded by the shadow. At that moment, they found the sounds of what seemed like a low whistle in the air. A sudden chill filled the air, followed up by a massive increase in heat as they remained where they were.

Neither had the ability to run again yet, cursing their need to stop and rest.

Within seconds, they were greeted by the three passing them by. At the moment they were in sight, each held their breath in hopes of not giving away their thinly veiled hiding spot. Beck's hair clung all over his face. Liam chewed on his lip from under his helmet. Their hearts, like them, fought for escape within their chests; their pulses easily heard in their ears. If this was it, they wouldn't go down without some resistance.

But that didn't happen.

Both remained in the same spot within the black shroud that protected and peeked out just enough to see the halls devoid of any supernatural beings. The atmosphere seemed normal once more as they took a deep breath, savoring the sweet oxygen filling their lungs.

"I think we gave them the slip." Beck stepped out first, a relieved grin adorning his lips. Following suit, Liam scanned the immediate area, finding no sign of the trio that wanted to devour their souls.

"Either that or they're not very bright..." Liam broke into a soft laugh of hysteria, nudging a far from amused Beck. "Get it? Not very bright? Dark spirits?" He found his humor was not shared, made evident when Beck slowly shook his head. "Screw you, that was hilarious."

"No. No, it was not."

 **"I thought it was funny."** a voice so familiar, yet so foreign chimed in causing the boys to tense up. **"Tell another joke?"**

"That thing was right," Liam whined in frustration. "We are so fucked..."

The creature began giggling once more while they slowly crept away in the midst of this.

"That has to be Cat..." Beck whispered to a sulking Liam.

 **"How did you know?"** she put on a sly grin to go along with her sultry tone.

"Call it a lucky guess."

Turning around, they were greeted by the sight of Cat, still in her Sally costume, swaying like an innocent little child. "Could you two do me a little favor?" her voice light and airy. **"GIVE ME YOUR SOUL!"**

A gust of wind suddenly launched them backward, knocking them off of their feet. The amount of force being driven at them caused them to slide down an adjacent hallway until they crashed into a row of lockers with an audible crunch. Both struggled to get back up onto their knees as the red-haired girl began floating towards them.

Disoriented, the two fought through blurry vision and several bruises that resulted from the aggressive attack. Stumbling, they did their best to seek out some form of refuge. Beck clutched at his ribs when he felt arm being draped over his friend's shoulder.

"Come on, we have to get out of here," Liam grunted, his back and right leg aching in excruciating pain. "We're not going down without a fight, remember?"

Fortunately, Beck was able to smirk despite the searing pain bouncing within his skull. "Big talk coming from someone who's worse off than I am." he chuckled weakly.

"Smart ass." he scoffed. "We both know I never could resist being the hero."

Their playful banter was cut short when the sounds of cackling echoing behind them. To make matters worse, they were met by the triple threat of Tori, Jade, and Ahrya who, as you would guess, weren't too pleased with the two elusive rats before them. With no discernable way out, it seemed that things were bleak for the duo.

 **"Enough of this!"** Jade's voice, low and devilish, resonated through the boys as she and the others lashed their demonic tails simultaneously, knocking both boys unconscious as they collapsed from the harsh attack. A still fuming Jade towered over the unconscious duo, her eyes narrow with the fires of hell itself. **"Bring them."** she hissed, leaving before the other three could respond.

Tori and Ahrya then wrapped their tails around them, dragging the two towards their intended destination.

* * *

Managing to slip out of the school, Andre and Robbie rushed to the dorms, ignoring the traffic and narrowly avoiding getting run over. Pushing as fast as their feet could carry them, they made it inside with minimum effort. Once inside, they split off to handle their respective missions. Robbie, feeling guilty about this whole ordeal is his fault, got to work researching anything he could on demons, specifically succubi while Andre rushed to the showers.

Fingers clicking away, his search continued to draw plenty of information on the creatures but yielding nothing that could help them in the long run. Andre soon returned, relaxed from the shower when he noticed his friend gripping his head in pain from the lack of results.

"Rob," he placed a hand on the boy's back. "Go shower off, I'll take over for a while."

"But, Beck & Liam need our help and..."

"I know, but you can't help anyone if you don't take care of yourself either," he smirked softly. "Now, go... I gotta find something I can change into, anyway."

Sighing in defeat, Robbie bowed his head and headed to the shower room. "I got some jogging pants and some t-shirts in the third drawer by the closet too."

Andre thanked him and shut the door once he disappeared around the corner. He wasted little time in putting on the clothes, a pair of grey sweats that fit him perfectly enough, and a plain black shirt then working on picking up where Robbie Shapiro left off. Checking through various websites about demonology and succubi, his journey brought him to an information website centered around role-playing. While quick to leave the site altogether, his brown eyes happened to notice something. "Weakness?"

He clicked on the link, tapping his fingers against the oak computer desk impatiently as it loaded. A minute or so later, he was rewarded with what he desired. Swiftly, his gaze traveled through the information, memorizing each word with relative ease. Though it was short, it was more than enough for what they were trying to accomplish. Robbie returned after about ten minutes of the cleansing water ripping him away from the night's anxious events.

"I got it, Rob!"

Shocked, the curly haired boy stared at the screen wide-eyed. "How?"

"I just happened to find a link randomly on this role-playing site, of all places!" he admitted excitedly before noticing his friend's current position. "Uh, Rob? Please put some clothes on, bro."

* * *

Ouch..." Liam groaned, his brain feeling as if it was being used in a game of ping-pong. Slowly turning his head, he noticed his wrists were bound over his head. "Que diabos aconteceu?"[1]

 **"You're trapped in our web, love."**

He turned to find himself facing one half of his girlfriends, Tori. A soft smile complimented her bright eyes, a complete contrast to who she was when she was around him. His emerald crystals darkened, narrowed nearly into slits.

"What do you want demon?" somehow his voice carried a strong accent; something that momentarily caught him off guard.

Not one to give into petty name calling, she slowly walked to his hanging form, placing a hand on his bare chest; until that point, he hadn't even noticed that he wasn't dressed, except for his underwear. **"We want you,"** she leaned in, lips grazing his bare skin as they rose up to his own. **"We want your soul, mortal."**

Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the young woman's eyes, while predominantly green, still retained a bit of that honey brown. That warm shade of brown that, at this point, was fading fast. 'Tori's still in there.' he figured as, unlike with Jade, he found himself not being plunged into that feeling of helplessness. It was as if something about the creature controlling Tori was off compared to what was inside Jade.

"Torna-te demonio!"[2] he spat, no longer able to contain the fury.

 **"Seems there's more fight in this one."** The succubus lifted an eyebrow, intrigue dancing behind her glowing orbs.

 **"Not for long..."** Liam cut his hardened gaze to the sight of his other 'girlfriend', who matched his fury at every step. **"Not after I'm done with him."**

Seeing her rage-filled face, he had the nerve to laugh in the face of the demoness.

"Please, if you two had any clue about Tori and Jade, you both would know that it takes more than words to get me to fall for your tricks." his lips stretched into a sadistic grin, his canines exposed confidently. "You may have their bodies, but there's something you two don't have," His long locs draped over his face, making his expression even more manic. "my soul."

In an instant, he found his voice robbed from him as his throat felt the succubus' tail wrapping around his neck. Despite the lack of sufficient oxygen, not to mention the intense pain, his crazed smile never fell. As you could guess, this only served to push the spirit inside of Jade to lines never crossed. In her mind, she'd rather destroy the boy and be done with his rebellious nature; soul be damned at this point.

"What's stopping me from ripping your spine from your body, mortal?" she blinked, in the midst of her rage, and clamped her hand over her mouth in confusion.

For Liam, it was a small victory as he felt his windpipe capable of taking in the air again.

"I guess you're still in there, Jade." he chuckled softly, a little blood pouring from the side of his mouth. "Meu Lindo monstro."[3]

 **"SHUT UP!"** the voice was again that of the spirit trying to regain its control, though, desperation oozed out.

"Why don't you make me!" her eyes widened when he fired back. "You were always a big talker, Jade! But, deep down, you were always looking for someone who would look beyond your rage, to tear down your walls and find the little girl aching for love and affection!" It seemed that his words were having some effect on her. Both he and Tori looked on as the girl clutched at her head in pain. The purple glow in her eyes seemed to intensify, swirling around her body violently. "Remember the time when you confessed your feelings for me?" he yelled out with passion. "Do you remember our first kiss? Under the moonlight, we shared our first intimate moment together?"

The creature roared and shrieked as if it was being stabbed with a thousand blades in rapid fashion. It wasn't just his words though, it was the fact that every word held nothing but the truth that held the power against this demon. By now, it seemed the goth had fallen to her knees, heaving every so often, which only prompted the boy to continue.

"Remember Yerba? That demon Beck and I fought?" tears pouring upon the memories only made him try harder. "Remember what you told me the night we shared our first time with each other? After all of the hell you endured, you swore that you wanted to be seen as something different! You told me that you wanted to prove Robbie and my sister wrong!"

The aura slowly enveloped her body, creating a gust of wind that pushed back Tori forced Liam's body to swing uncontrollably from the pressure. Neither knew what to make of things but, one thing was certain, Jade was now lying flat on her face.

 **"What did you do?!"** the demon whispered, crawling to her feet. Amazement and frustration on her face, she grabbed the swaying Liam by his neck, pulling him closer until they were an inch or so apart, anguish and smoldering hatred running from her very essence. **"What did you do, MORTAL?!"**

Silence.

Other than a slight grimace from being manhandled again, he didn't give into her threatening tone. "I spoke the truth," his low tone stood firm and calm. "I love Jade and Tori. I love them both more than myself and no demon is going to change that. I don't know what happened to cause them to become possessed by a lust-crazed entity like you, Lillith," Lime colored aura grew brighter and more intense. "Yes, I figured out who you are..."

 **"You know nothing..."** the creature seethed.

"I know that you took advantage of that concoction they drank at the party, and took advantage of their inner sexual weakness but, you forgot one thing." Tori growled as the succubus' composure began to crumble. "Meu amor por eles é mais forte do que a luxúria."[4] Seeing more confusion, he grinned. "Translation: My love for them is stronger than lust." his defiant glare steeled.

Retaliation was the only option; her hand finding itself being shoved in his stomach causing him to gasp and cough up blood.

 **"I have to give you credit. You're not worth the aggravation."** she cackled at how quickly his face twisted from cocky to fits of agony. **"I wanted to experience what this human considered to be a monster, but YOU fail to realize that there is more than one way to claim a soul."** Liam, try as he may, cried out as he felt his very spirit being pulled out of his body. More blood flew from his mouth as the demon shoved her hand back into his gut, making him feel as if he was being pierced in two. **"I'm going to savor every second of owning you, mangy cur. Then, my sisters and I will enjoy every moment of torturing your wretched soul."**

Preoccupied with the task at hand, everything seemed to come to a head for the young man. Unable to defend himself, he felt his resolve and life force draining away. His eyes grew heavier by the moment. His arms began to fall limp. His vision became fuzzier from the pain, but he did manage to make out the colors of his soul appearing before him. Blue and Yellow twisting in a spiral formation brought his mind to the two that he failed to save.

'Dammit...' he cursed. 'Tori's about to pull my soul out, and I couldn't even save her or Jade.'

With a sad smile, his strength started to leave him as shown by his body hanging limp, a sight that delight Tori or, to be exact, Lillith inside of her.

 **"Your soul is finally mine!"** she laughed wickedly only to feel something tugging at the duel colored spirit. Tori's body continued to pull but whatever was resisting, proved to be a match for her. Thinking it to be the infernal human, she was shocked to see him dangling, lifeless before her. Figuring that it couldn't be him, the lustful demon growled. **"Whatever you are, give me my prize!"**

"You can't take what's not yours." a voice called out from within him. "This soul belongs only to two and you are not one of them, demon."

From within his body, a bright red light flowed out, taking a shape that only Tori, the real Tori trapped inside, could recognize.

"Tr-Trina?" she managed to break free from the possession for a moment before the creature took hold once more. **"What is the meaning of this?"**

The red construct smiled. "I'm just like you. Someone that doesn't have the legal claim to Liam's soul. That belongs to my sister and her." Pointing behind them, Lillith turned around finding none other than a snarling Jade launching a hard right punch to her jaw. Her raven hair clinging to her sweaty face, she exuded pure and raw emotion that actually struck fear into the spirit. Being inside of another's body, she forgot that she could actually feel physical pain but, that strike brought her back to reality.

"If anyone's claiming his soul," she roared. "It's going to be ME not YOU!" she then turned to see the motionless Liam before her, eyes widening in horror. "No..." she whispered. Her stomach filled with knots as she took in the sight of his bowed head. One thing that was clear to her was his face, though showing signs of dealing with some torture, he still retained a smile. Clear wet gems fell like scattered raindrops onto her cheeks as she felt the truth in her hands. His skin, devoid of any warmth, felt hard and rough to the touch as she caressed his face. "You can't be..."

The red construct didn't bother to say a word, choosing instead to focus on the still stunned form of Tori Vega. "Give back his soul and begone spirit," it commanded.

 **"What makes you think I'll give it up without a fight?"** she scoffed arrogantly.

"We both know that you can devour a soul when in your spiritual form before sunrise." Jade turned to the two before pulling out her phone. According to the clock, there were less than five minutes before sunrise began. It was no longer Halloween.

"Lillith, you were summoned for one purpose and you've failed to complete it. Legend dictates that you must relinquish any souls that you didn't devour before you're banished back to hell. Besides, you're still inside of the body of a virgin. Face it, demon. You've lost."

"Hehe, you know your stuff..." Tori's voice returned. "How?"

The scarlet entity shrugged. "I got it from my host." holding out a hand, she once more demanded the soul of Liam.

"Very well, you win. But, mark my words," she turned to the rattled Jade. "I may come back, should I ever be summoned again." With that said, the spirit allowed Tori's hand to open, allowing the form to retrieve the duel colored ball and hand it to Jade. Turning to the haunted, they were taken aback by the form of Lillith standing beside a now unconscious Tori. "I know what you're going to ask, 'who summoned me and my sisters in the first place', right?"

Nodding, she chuckled at their naivety. "Consider that our small victory." soon, she began to fade away, a grim smirk painting her lips. Jade's scowl rested firmly on her face until she remembered what she currently held in her hands.

"I guess I should put this back, huh?" she asked the construct but found herself left alone. Rolling her eyes, the pale skinned girl proceeded to do just that.

* * *

His eyes fluttered as warm rays tickled his skin.

The sounds of waves bathed his toes in cooling relaxation.

The gentle caw of the gulls mixed with the breeze perfectly as he sat up on the shore.

"What happened?" he marveled at the peaceful atmosphere. "Where am I?"

"You're in a dream."

He turned his head to see a face that he'd long hoped to forget. "Then what are you doing here?" despite his best efforts, he found himself unable to spit out any venom, instead just a soft yet, stern tone of voice came out.

"I'm here to give you one last bit of clarity before I release you back."

"Trina, what are you talking about?"

She stood before him wearing an all-white dress and flower crown on her head. "I'm actually the last remnant of her that you've held in the bottom of your heart." sensing that he would respond, she stopped him in his tracks. "You still held love for her deep in your heart but, after tonight, you've proven that you can go on without her. There's no more room for her in your heart now that you have Jade and Tori."

"But, what about-?"

"What I mean is, you've officially moved on. From the moment you chose to celebrate Halloween with them, you broke down the last obstacle that still chained you to her. Now you can truly give those two every bit of your love." she smiled warmly before turning to leave stopping only to look over her shoulder. "They deserve it after what you all have endured."

Wanting more answers, Liam reached out for the figure but stopped when a bright flashing light nearly blinded him.

* * *

"Is he waking up?" a gentle voice rang in the boy's ear.

"For the thousandth time, he's going to be alright." That voice he definitely recognized.

His eyes peered open slowly only to clamp shut from the powerfully sharp rays of the morning sun.

"Ow, what hit me?" he groaned in a clammy voice, signs that his throat was still somewhat injured.

He felt the soft fingers of both of his girlfriends shushing him. "Don't talk too much, Liam."

Once settled, he looked through half-lidded orbs at the two, a weak smile forming. On his right, he noticed Tori Vega, still dressed in her Starfire costume looking on worried and groggy. At that moment, he realized that he wasn't in Hollywood Arts anymore, the scenery being more pleasant to him. "Jade's room?" his scratchy voice asked.

"Yeah, we happened to get you here after Beck and the others picked up your car." the room's owner giggled. "It saved us a lot of time of having to drag your unconscious ass here." Resting next to him, she took notice of the few bruises that had only darkened at this point. "Given the fact that you practically died and came back to life, maybe we should change your name to Jason Todd."

In spite of her harshness, Liam smiled knowing that she was trying to make light of the dark night they all endured. "Jade?" he pulled himself up with what little strength he had. "You don't have to be so cruel." he laughed but, he only succeeded in wincing from the sharp pain in his stomach. That reminded him of what happened before he passed out from the pain. He threw back the covers, finding his lower torso relatively untouched. 'What in the hell?' he mentally pondered while leaning against the headboard.

"I can't explain that either," Jade, as if reading his mind, answered. "I woke up to find that demon shoving her hand in your gut but after we replaced your soul, there was no wound. He looked in Tori's direction but saw her shake her head, supporting the earlier statement. "There is one thing that still bothers me." Jade stared at her love, analyzing him like he was a test subject. "Your soul had two colors to it, blue and yellow. Most souls only have one color so why would yours have two?"

Clearing his throat, Liam was happy when he could actually talk without sounding like a troll. "Good question, but I honestly don't know. Maybe it represents my soulmates or something?"

"So you're saying that Tori and I could be your soulmates, tiger?" she smirked deviously, an image that concerned him deeply.

"Possibly?" he chuckled nervously. "But I do know one thing." Both girls inched closer, eager to hear his next words. "You're both a part of my heart and soul. That's something I wouldn't trade for the world."

"You're so cheesy!" Tori erupted into a soft but hysterical.

"But, that's one of the things that made us fall in love with you, tiger."This earned him a few hits from multiple pillows that they pulled from behind him, a chorus of laughter filling the room as the sun sat high up on a Saturday afternoon.

This earned him a few hits from the multiple pillows that they pulled from behind him, a chorus of laughter filling the room as the sun sat high up on a Saturday afternoon. October 31st had officially passed, replaced by November 1st. It was the first day of a new month and with it brought new opportunities for the lovebirds. One thing was crystal clear, this nightmare was finally over.

* * *

 **Portuguese Translations**

 **1\. What the hell happened?**

 **2\. Screw you Demon!**

 **3\. My lovely Monster.**

 **4.** **My love for them is stronger than lust**

 **Alright, so I was going to explain somethings about this chapter but I'm going to save that for the next chapter. I will say that given the path, I may just write the Christmas chapter as a One/Two-Shot or cut it out altogether. (most likely the first option.) In the meantime, I'll be moving on to the next half of this arc where things are going to escalate for our cast of characters. I would also like to give big thanks to** **OnASnowyDay for the premise for what's going to happen next. We discussed a bit about what could happen next and I am more than excited to get this next chapter out for everyone to read.**

 **There is one question that I will ask here though: Who was the one who summoned Lillith? It was originally thought that Robbie was to blame for putting some mysterious potion, thinking it to be a special booze, in the punch. However, something isn't adding up... Maybe it'll be revealed in a future chapter? Maybe one of you wonderful readers will figure it out beforehand. Either way, the answer will come out in due time.**

 **In the meantime, I hope that you all enjoyed this two-part Halloween special. It was a challenge but I enjoyed writing it and will get better in some areas when I look over this myself. For now, enjoy and thank you all for almost 2400 views!**


	25. Chapter 21a

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 21.5: Mirror, Mirror**

 _"Mirror, tell me something,_

 _Tell me who's the loneliest of all?_

 _Mirror, tell me something,_

 _tell me can a heart be turned to stone?"_

* * *

Several months passed and things were finally getting back to normal for the gang. Throughout their time after Halloween, Jade had begun to feel this wave of uncertainty hit from time to time. It was like an itch that, no matter how much she scratched, she couldn't rid herself of. Needless to say, she wasn't pleased when the unwanted feelings would surface. While it was well documented that her mind was a dangerous place to tread, few truly understood the depths it held for the young girl. Her brain was either so active that she would find herself tossing and turning in her bed at night, or when she did manage to get to sleep, it wouldn't last long due to a recurring nightmare that, indirectly, was linked to the events of Halloween night.

This night proved no different.

Jade found herself standing in the middle of a crowd, flanked on both sides by her two lovers. As they wandered through what appeared to be a festival, she noticed a mysterious figure with their back facing her. "What in the blue hell?" she arched an eyebrow, curious at the person before her. Despite not discerning the person's identity, she couldn't shake off the feeling that she somehow knew the person, who she confirmed to be a woman, at the same time. She then turned to find that neither Liam nor Tori were with her only to finally notice them charging through the bodies in the direction of the unknown individual.

That gnawing feeling of separation forced her to chase after them, dread filling her with every step. Pushing through the sea of people, Jade called out to the objects of her affection but stopped when she realized that no sound came out. With widened pools fixed on the two, the goth could feel her lip quivering when the image of Tori and Liam sharing a passionate kiss after the latter uttered something along the lines of "Forget Jade."

Letting out a silent scream, she began to notice the figure of Tori start to fade away, being replaced this time by the form of the one person she'd grown to resent over time.

Trina Vega.

The young woman turned towards Jade, a wicked smirk stretching at her lips.

"He's mine, now." she hissed, tracing her tongue along Liam's jawline.

She shot up with a sharp gasp. Sweat flowed down freely as fingers became entangled in her raven hair. The light breeze grazed her soaked skin, causing a sudden chill to hit her entire upper body. Turning to look at the clock, Jade groaned audibly as the device read 4:57 am. She tried closing her eyes but wound up opening the gates to her soul, utter terror flashing from the wide oceans.

"Why do I keep having this dream?" she huddled into a fetal position, her hard glare gradually softened as her true emotions crushed down the steeled facade.

* * *

The cool air bathed the campus of Hollywood Arts as its students poured out of the building eager for the next month of relaxation. Considering it was the month of February, this left many possibilities for the young boys and girls. Of course, this meant plenty of adventures for Liam, who was currently stuffing books into his locker. Unknown to him, someone was watching him with lecherous intents from the shadows.

This didn't go unnoticed for very long when he turned around with a cautious glare, though he would find nothing more than the occasional group of students chatting about their month-long holiday plans. Shaking his head, he instinctively rubbed the back of his neck as if trying to wipe away some unseen insect or something; after the events of the past few months, it was clear that Liam still hadn't fully recovered.

With a sigh, he shut his locker and began to make his way down the hall only to feel his phone vibrate in his pocket. Groaning softly, the boy pulled out the device and turned it on, seeing that he'd just received a text message.

 **Jade:**

 **Come to the Black Box, please? Need to talk...**

Almost immediately, his face shifted from a look of minor irritation to one of confusion as he turned around, heading down his impromptu detour. The various conversations of those passing by took his mind on a rollercoaster of ideas and desires for his downtime. What held the most impact on his thoughts were none other than his beautiful girlfriends, Jade and Tori. Being together almost five months at this point, he knew that they deserved to have something special done for them. The sounds of his army style boots could be heard throughout the lone hallway showing that he was indeed alone but, it wouldn't last long.

"Here we go," he muttered.

Pushing the door open, he found himself greeted by the lone figure of his scissor loving love, sitting along the edge of the stage in her standard dark garb. He stepped inside, catching her attention, and could tell that something was off. Her face, while holding a small smile, appeared strained. Gazing lower, Liam saw her hands tightly gripping the edge of her makeshift seat and her legs, though crossed, would transition over each other every few minutes or so. Despite all of these subtle signs, there was one obvious one that he'd never miss.

"Hey." her tone; laced with worry and pain, drew out his empathetic side.

"Hey." he grinned softly. "Something on your mind?"

"Stuff."

"Jade?"

"What?" she mentally cursed at how harsh her response was. She could tell that no offense was taken as he sat down next to her; he was always understanding. Wrapping her in his arms, it was clear that she was struggling with whatever she wanted to tell him. "Sorry..."

"No problem." he kissed her temple. "But, seriously, what's going on Jade?"

She loved and hated how his warm voice melted down her icy defenses with minimum effort. "I've been having some issues."

"Issues?" he tilted his head. "Is it... that time of the month?" he whispered, occasionally looking around as if it was some deep dark secret. This earned him a rough shove and a cold shoulder from Jade.

"You can be an ass..." she crossed her arms, refusing to even look in his direction. "I'm trying to be open with you and you're joking around."

"I'm sorry, Jade." his amusement swiftly dropping to a more serious tone. "It was just a joke."

"Well it wasn't funny, Beck!" she snapped, her eyes filled with a fury rivaling the time when she was possessed. Seeing him wide-eyed and mouth open, Jade quickly realized her mistake, clamping a hand over her mouth. True, the two were good friends at this point, but there was a line that couples knew not to cross. "Liam, I didn't mean that... I was just frustrated."

The damage had been though; Jade couldn't deny that as her beloved's face now resembled that of a wounded puppy.

"Right," his low tone, coupled with the trembling of his words only amplified the effect of her foolishness. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Held hostage by his eyes, Jade couldn't find the words as her mind focused on his unreadable gaze. It was just like with her past relationships, Beck and beyond. She would let her jealousy get the better of her and ruin the good thing that she had. Why would this be any different? As if time stood still, she pondered returning to her old ways, a complete 180 degrees from the young woman she had worked to become, with Liam's help. That dark feeling, the need for self-protection grinned behind her, sensing its long hibernation coming to an end. All she had to do was keep pushing him away and that would be the final nail in the coffin; it was so easy to go back to old ways.

'Wait...' her world stopped at that revelation.

The idea of how simple it would be haunted Jade, not because of how true it was, but because of who succumbed to that simplistic thinking first; the reason she was conflicted emotionally.

"Trina..." she whispered.

"Trina?"

She gasped and froze, completely forgetting that Liam was still here when it hit her; he was still here.

'He didn't walk away.' she thought in awe.

"Jade?" he waved a hand in front of her, snapping her out of her wonder-filled trance. "What does Trina have to do with what's going on?"

This was it, the moment of truth for Jade who gently chewed on her bottom lip for a few seconds. Parting her lips, she closed her eyes and grabbed Liam's Scott Pilgrim hoodie, pulling the unsuspecting boy into a deep and longing kiss. Any attempt to speak was rendered useless as his moans would suggest. His eyes, previously wide and afraid, slowly shut as emotions lulled him into the angelic reverie. Her soft lips were the perfect contrast to her intense movements. The two would quickly adjust, running fingers through the other's hair, pulling apart every so often for air, even noticing their respective scents as their need for understanding only grew.

Liam tried his best to gain some level of control but succeeded in only winding up pinned under a remorseful Jade. Her hair shielded them both from outside gazes as she leaned in and captured his full lips with her own again. Each kiss now held some form of response to his inquiring mind.

Kiss.

 _I'm sorry._

Kiss.

 _Please forgive me._

Kiss.

 _I love you so much!_

She poured out as much of herself as she could but, the clear orbs falling upon his cheeks gave him all he needed. Drops of pain and hurt stained his dark skin, trailing down without resistance. His heart ached for her as he cupped her cheek and wiped the fresh batch of tears away. Not comprehending everything, he felt that enough was processed for them to patch things up.

"Jade." the way he called her name, made her stomach do flips. She didn't want him to see her shame, though as she pushed off of him and gazed straight ahead. This did little to deter him though as he mirrored her movements, sitting up just enough to prop himself up on his forearms. "Jade. Look at me, please?"

He watched as she shut her eyes, emphatically shaking her head.

"I get it," he sighed. "Something about Trina is bothering you and you're reacting from that."

Silence.

"Jade, please don't think that I'm going to change just because of her. She's gone... and so are my feelings for her." he caressed her cheek once more, his fingers trailing down her tender skin. From her face, his hands continued until they were resting on her sides. "Please..." he begged, desperation and hope heavily coating his words.

Jade was resilient but, this; her boyfriend literally begging her to open up, nearly broke her completely. She couldn't have him suffering for something that wasn't even his fault. Letting go of her pride, the gates to her soul lifted slowly giving his access to her vulnerability at its fullest.

"I don't want to lose you..." she couldn't stop her throat from hitching. "I can't lose you to her. I won't let her take you away." Burying her face in his hoodie, Jade's muffled sobs pierced his ears like a knife cutting warm butter. His hands stroked her back, rubbing circles in different spots as he did his best to comfort her.

"She could never take me from you..." he whispered, tickling her ear. "Only you and Tori have my heart."

He felt her pull away, water mixing with earth as they remained in place for what seemed like an eternity.

"Promise?" the corner of her lips tugging upward. "You really mean that?"

Liam nodded, a full smile revealing his beautiful smile to her. "I promise. You're my little Ivory monster..."

Rolling her eyes, she placed a light kiss on his lips. "And you're my Nubian tiger."

"So, what does that make me?"

The two nearly jumped out of their skin, turning to see a smirking Tori Vega standing only a few feet away from them.

"Dammit Tori," Jade spoke up, clutching her chest. "You nearly gave us a heart attack!"

To their surprise, she merely laughed at their current plight. "Sorry, I was just looking for you two and I didn't want to interrupt your moment."

Not in the mood for jokes at the moment, Jade glared at the still giggling girl. "At least until now, correct?" her tone signaling a warning to the brunette.

"Well, I couldn't resist such a perfect opportunity."

In Jade's mind, she had Tori bound at the stake ready to be burned alive for ruining such an intimate moment. If it weren't for Liam having a firm hold of her waist, she could've gotten started with making that dark imagery a reality. Being the odd man in the middle, Liam wasted no more time in defusing the situation.

"So, um... What's up, beautiful?" she turned her defiant gaze to him. "You mentioned you were looking for us. Was there any specific reason, or were you just looking to hang out?"

"Oh, right. I actually got word from my Sikowitz about a new trip he had planned for later this month." To her surprise, the two exchanged sour looks. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, Tori..." Liam spoke up first, averting his gaze. "The last time we went on a big trip with Sikowitz, we wound up doing time at a prison in Yerba."

"The less said about that, the better," Jade added, shuddering at the image of her severely injured significant other. "Maybe we should sit this one out?"

Tori remembered that trip earlier in the school year and frowned at the thoughts of what transpired. "I see your points, but we're not going out of the country this time."

Raising an eyebrow, Jade did little to hide the skepticism oozing from her pores. "Mhmm... so where would this trip take place then, Vega?"

"New Orleans for Mardis Gras." she answered in a 'matter-of-fact' tone.

"Mardis Gras?" Liam rubbed his chin lightly, pondering Tori's response.

"Land of Voodoo, Hoodoo, and a slew of otherworldly practices?" She then noticed Jade's smirk growing in size. "I think that's a definite improvement over last time."

The two watched Tori's eyes light up at seemingly convincing them to reconsider their initial declining of the trip.

"Alright, Tori," Liam chuckled softly. "I guess we're in too."

"Awesome!" she rushed over, planting a big kiss on both Liam and Jade. "I'll tell Sikowitz right now! Then we can get ready for the road trip."

Before either could say anything more, Tori had run off and disappeared from sight, leaving her lovers behind.

"Road Trip?" they groaned simultaneously.

* * *

 **Sorry, I was supposed to have a whole chapter ready but my little break lasted longer than expected. I almost took a mini hiatus when I thought to get this sub-chapter out. I apologize for it being so short but, consider it as a proper conclusion to last chapter's effect on Jade and a (somewhat) decent introduction to the next big storyline. I felt that there was a loose end with the ending to the Halloween chapters and it was really bugging me to no end so I cooked this up to bridge the gap that was preventing me from continuing.**

 **With this out of the way, I can properly get started on the actual chapter. I'll hopefully have it ready within a couple of days or by the end of the week at the very latest. Enjoy, this mini-chapter and goodnight.**


	26. Chapter 22

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 22: Welcome to New Orleans**

"Dead people receive more flowers than the living ones

because regret is stronger than gratitude."

-Anne Frank

* * *

The road trip was uneventful, to say the least.

For starters, the entire group wouldn't be attending the trip. Robbie and Ahrya had already signed up for a couples course in cooking for Valentine's Day prior to finding out about the road trip; Though he'd never admit it, Liam was relieved to hear that the two weren't going on this trip. In fact, it was rumored amongst the friends that the couple was accidentally left off of Sikowitz's invitation list due to their recent behavior over the past few months (Courtesy of a certain goth).

Cat, Jade, and Tori would find themselves talking about their destination with earnest. The former was bouncing in her seat slightly at the idea of seeing so many new people and cultures during their time in New Orleans.

"I can't wait to see everyone with those funny masks and hear the music!" she giggled while cutting her gaze to her new boyfriend every so often and biting her lip gently at her cheerful beau.

Tori, clearly noticing this, chose to ignore the 'subtle' gesture and continue on with the conversation. "I think I'm really looking forward to trying their food. Authentic gumbo from Louisiana?" she rubbed her stomach playfully, answering the previously thought rhetorical question. "What about you, Jade?"

Turning to her, the duo would catch Jade openly staring at the one who held her heart with a goofy grin on her face. Her eyes locked, she analyzed his features as he conversed with Andre and Beck. The way his eyes reflected the light from the setting sun captivated her. His soft smile made her normally cold heart melt. Her gaze softens significantly when she noticed small traces of a beard forming on his chin. This led to her eyes tracing his jawline, stopping to admire his lips and take in how much she wanted them to claim hers right now

Moving lower, her thoughts began to grow more and more naughty. She barely resisted the urge to lick her lips while marveling at how tight his shirt clung to him; oh how she wished she could be that close to him right now. Even though they'd been together for over six months at this point, she never lost her desire for him since the first day she fell for him.

The day after Trina left.

After talking with, and gaining confirmation from her boyfriend, Jade still held a great deal of resentment for the girl but later surmised that had it not been for Trina breaking his heart, she wouldn't have had the chance to snag him herself.

'I guess I should be thanking that girl...' she concluded sarcastically.

"Jade?!"

Turning to the source of the voice, Jade blinked rapidly as if trying to process a complicated formula. "What?"

"I asked what are you looking forward to experiencing in New Orleans?" an annoyed Tori repeated.

She took a moment to think only to flash a suggestive smirk at the girls. "Do you have to ask?" her voice dropping an octave.

Tori simply rolled her eyes. "I mean besides THAT, Jade..."

"Oh. I guess I'd go with Mardi Gras or something..." she replied offhandedly but stopped short of finishing when she caught the two staring at her. "What?"

Both girls flinched at the sudden wave of aggression in Jade's tone, equally concerned for multiple reasons. "Look, we're just a little thrown off." Cat softly spoke up.

"Yeah, besides," Tori took the goth's hand, showing sincerity. "I thought you'd say something about checking out the voodoo scene when we get there?"

Jade, though still greatly annoyed for having been ripped away from her admiring, understood their reasoning for the awkwardness of the situation. tightening her lips, she proceeded to shake her head. "Normally, you'd both be right but," her averting her eyes downward didn't go unnoticed by her friend and lover. "I'm still a little shook up after what happened during Halloween, being possessed and all."

Ever the rational one, even Tori could find a good enough retort for Jade's honesty. "Huh, point taken."

As the conversation slowly transitioned back to a more pleasant tone, the boys were up front, taking in the sights and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

Beck, who originally had plans to go to Canada, sat in the specially ordered bus, leaning back in his seat. Despite, not having anyone romantically to spend time with, he was content in knowing that he wouldn't be getting harassed by Liam's younger sister. A small smile crept along his face while listening to Andre and Liam work on a cover song. With a content sigh, he managed to free himself of the mental tortures of Los Angeles.

His past as a wannabe pimp in training.

His hidden connection to Trina disappearing.

His abusive attitude towards Jade during their relationship and his possessiveness afterward.

Being caught up in an affair with Liam's sister and blackmailed.

None of those things mattered right now; only the promise of a new city and new adventure made a difference to him.

* * *

Over 24 hours had passed since the group left and most of them were either sleep or silently on their phones. The sky was bathed in the fading colors of twilight, shrouded by a rich navy blue blanket that succeeded it. Among them, Liam was lying on one of the makeshift beds of the customized vehicle and listening to some music to soothe him when he felt the touch that, unseen to him, held familiarity. Looking up, he grinned at the groggy face of Tori Vega.

"Hey, you're awake?" he chuckled as she crawled over him, huddling under his arm like a kitten seeking warmth. Pulling out the headphones, he shoved his phone in one of his bags. "Make yourself at home, cutie."

Yawning, she grinned under the bright light of the device. "I'm surprised that you aren't sleeping yourself."

"I took a nap a few hours ago," he leaned over, kissing her forehead. "Plus Jade keeps touching me in my sleep too."

His answer caused Tori to giggle softly. "She can be a deviant sometimes. Remember the time she caught us in the janitor's closet?"

"How can I forget? I still refuse to leave my phone on vibrate when it's in my pocket," he whispered in amusement. "Plus we were always looking over our shoulders during and after school." Thoughts of he and Tori bound in compromising positions and at the mercy of the more sexually aggressive girlfriend forced a shudder of pleasure mixed with uncertainty. Speaking of uncertainty, Liam's grin slowly fell when the girl became suddenly quiet. "Something on your mind?"

He watched closely as she shuffled under him, his arm draping over her slim form.

"Well," she started, unsure if she should continue. "I want to but, you'll think it's silly..."

"Try me, Tori." There was something about his voice at that very moment, mellow yet filled with strength and security.

She gazed upward, finding a certain brightness in his eyes that seemed even more reassuring to her. "Okay, you win. I know you and Jade have nicknames for each other, but..."

"You're wondering about us two?" she nodded leisurely.

"It's silly but, when you call her your little monster and she calls you tiger, it's like a deeper bond than what we have." try as she might, she couldn't hold back the anxiety that danced in her throat. "I mean, Jade's nickname came after Robbie and Ahrya called that and a witch. You took that and turned it into something that made her genuinely smile. She calls you tiger because of..." she raised an eyebrow. "Why DOES she call you tiger?"

Hearing nothing, she squinted at him while awaiting his answer. He was more than grateful that the night sky hid his blush.

"Do you really want to know?" she nodded, honey brown orbs staring at him as an attentive child would. Sighing heavily, though leaving traces of playfulness, he conceded to Tori's inquiry. "Okay, well..."

* * *

 **2 1/2 Years Ago**

After the first few mandated sessions with Lane, Jade and Liam stomped down the hallway, neither happy with the counselor trying to pry information about their childhood. The latter was especially miffed when the man attempted to get him to reenact some 'personal' moments of his life; moments that he'd prefer to keep buried.

"What a colossal waste of time..." he furiously raked his hands through his hair.

Jade took notice of this, frowning more out of concern than irritation at this point. While she too wasn't a fan of having her brain picked, she wasn't this upset about it; a fact she made a mental note to evaluate.

"Look, I get that you hate therapy sessions, I do too, but what's your deal?" Cutting his eyes, Jade did what she did best, match his force with that of her own. "You want to go again, hotshot? I've been waiting for an excuse to break in my newest pair of scissors." she snarled, though not without her vicious smirk.

"It doesn't concern you, West..." he spat with venom while not missing a step as he walked past her.

Her left eye twitched violently as she watched the current 'bane of her existence' departing. Nobody talked like that to her; nobody dared to talk down to her as if she wasn't relevant and yet, here she found herself trying to decipher the level of disrespect that she'd just experienced. New levels of rage filled her body, fury flowing freely through her veins as the object of her vengeance continued down the hallway. Like a bull, Jade West saw nothing but red. The next thing she knew, she had grabbed a pair of scissors that she had hidden within her bookbag after being released from the principal's office earlier that day, charging at the boy whose back faced her.

For the next few seconds, time stood still as the two found themselves staring eye to eye. A few moments ticked away before she realized the reality hitting her; she was pinned against the wall near her a set of lockers. Her arms were held above her head, suspending her body just a couple of inches from the floor. On his face sat a sadistic grin that borderline insanity. His eyes lacked any light, encompassed by a void that nearly stopped her heart. For the first time since Beck's freak outburst some time ago, Jade felt legitimate fear paralyze her.

"Why do you keep patronizing me?" his voice sounded like he'd been taken over by the devil himself. That wasn't the most important thing to her though as she glared back. "Why can't you leave me be?"

Small drops now broke free of their flesh prison, falling to the dirty floor below. Jade could see that there was something much deeper that was unleashed from this boy. Inside of this young man, a beast lay dormant, a beast that only served to scare but intrigue the goth as well. This wasn't like Beck at all. When he exploded, it was like a volcano, pure destruction that destroyed anything that dared get in its way. This, however, was a wild animal that just wanted to be left alone while everyone tormenting it, pain and suffering flickering in its eyes as it desired peace. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she closed her eyes, preparing to do something that she absolutely hated to do.

"I'm sorry..."

"What?"

"I said, I'm sorry." she sighed, no sign of mockery hidden in her words. "Can you put me down now?"

She watched him blink several times before letting her down; she made a mental note of his otherworldly strength. "I apologize for losing it like that," he muttered. "I'm not prone to anger like that, normally." he averted his gaze, wiping the hot trails that kissed his cheek.

"I'll keep that in mind." she dusted her arms. "But, can you answer something for me?"

Liam didn't face her but nodded silently.

"What has you so angry? You were like a rabid predator just then?" the meekness in her tone was to prevent another eruption. Watching him sigh, she leaned against the wall, patiently gearing up for whatever his reply would be.

"Well, you did just charge at me with a sharp pair of scissors..." he tilted his head toward a spot behind her, the weapon in question resting.

"Oh right..." she sheepishly chimed in. "But, that's not what I'm talking about and you know it. That was pure unadulterated hatred that came out just now."

Liam clenched his eyes shut which gave her all the proof she needed.

"I have some issues at home, same as anyone else." he huffed. "I've been beaten a few times, okay, and that's all you're getting out of me."

To his surprise, Jade smirked softly and stepped towards him. "That's good enough for me, for now at least, tiger." she flashed her pearly whites.

"Tiger?"

"Yeah, seeing you like that, combined with your freakish strength? You're definitely a tiger, and I'm your dragon." the look of pure confusion was enough to make the girl laugh. "It means I respect you, dingus..." She then walked back to him, a look of determination flashing behind her azure crystals as she jabbed her pointer into his chest. "If you tell anyone I apologized, you'll regret it, capiche?"

"Got it."

"Good, now let's get out of here." she started walking off only to find him rooted where he stood. "What now?"

"I have to get some books from my locker so,"

"Say no more," he rolled his eyes at the sight of her holding a hand out. "I'll just see you tomorrow then." with that said, Jade West left him there, but somehow remained in his life long after that moment in time.

* * *

Back in present day, Tori looked on in amazement while her loving boyfriend wrapped up the story.

"So, her pet name for you symbolized your strength through adversity, and your defiance towards her?" skepticism coating her words like icing on a cake.

"Yeah, from that point, she would only call that in private." he chuckled softly at the girl. "That is until we started dating... then it became public knowledge."

Though it cleared up the side questions, Liam's answer still left her with a hole to fill.

"So what about us?"

"Well, if you can think of something that means a lot to you that embodies our relationship."

Tori sat up, her mind running many ideas and options while her love watched her intently. By this time, everyone else, Sikowtz excluded, had fallen asleep so anything mentioned would remain just between them.

"Jade said you're like a tiger, right?"

"Yeah?" his voice held a small degree of anxiety. "What about it?"

"Well, she calls you that because you challenged her and showed incredible strength. I have to disagree..."

Now his interest was piqued, his mouth forming a simple frown of intrigue and concern. "What are you getting at, Tori?"

"She enjoys the rough side of you but I prefer the softer, more gentle side of you." Wrapped her arms around his neck, she smiled brightly as she pulled his face closer to her own. Their foreheads touched, a spark igniting between the two as they tried their hardest to resist creating a sensual scene. "Tu también eres" she whispered, her soft pouty lips brushing his. "mi amor*"

Soon, the couple engaged in a sweet and gentle kiss, one that completely countered Jade's passionate ones. There was no lust involved as their hands rested on their intended targets. For Liam, it was her hips. For Tori, one hand rested on his chest, the other firmly behind his neck, ruining any escape attempts he might've thought he had. Her kisses felt similar to the light touch of feathers grazing him. In the midst of their expression of love, Liam managed to break just far enough to regain his breath, a large smile firmly spread on his mouth.

"You're such a sweet talker, my darling..." he then shook his head with a sour face, clearly not happy with how the name sounded. "I think querida works better."

"What does that mean?"

"Exactly what I said but in Portuguese," he noted, receiving a playful shove that nearly knocked him out of his place on the makeshift bed. "Ouch, I call you that because, after all, we've been through, you're worth more than diamonds to me. I love you and Jade both and would give my life to protect yours. You two have been the best thing that has ever happened to me since coming to Hollywood Arts."

If he could see it, Tori's mouth had spread wide open, giving him the biggest smile she'd ever had.

"Then, it's my pleasure to be your querida."

The two would share another kiss before drifting off to sleep themselves.

* * *

Several more hours went by on the road to New Orleans, thanks to Sikowitz needing sleep himself, and the gang didn't mind at all. Considering they were basically having a paid vacation, no one bothered to complain... much... Every so often someone would bring up the obvious need to use the bathroom or pick up more snacks, but there wasn't anything serious to speak of from the future graduates.

At this time, the teacher let out a rather audible yawn that more resembled the call of a wild boar. Smacking his lips, he turned his head from side to side, scanning his surroundings. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, his eyes rested onto a sight none too foreign to him, the image of his students staring at him with uncomfortable glances here and there. At one point, he figured to himself that he'd miss these looks when they left, but now, he grunted like a neanderthal before pulling out the keys.

"You know?" he broke the silence, speaking over his shoulder. "Your faces will stick that way if you keep it up."

Soon, the small group turned their attention to other things, giving the teacher some degree of peace as he pulled out of the pit stop parking lot. It would only be another hours or so for the drive when Tori and Cat noticed something... different. While there were many road signs that informed them of their destination, it wasn't necessary for them to know where they were. Soon Beck and the others would feel it as well; the sudden change in atmosphere encompassing them. Back in L.A., there was this fast-paced lifestyle that resembled a cycle where, if you stumbled for too long, you'd become swept up in the insanity. But, this feeling? It was as if they were permitted to just slow down and take in the environment, the sights and sounds really resonating tranquility and yet, excitement at the same time.

Andre and Cat peered through the window, taking in the scents that filled their nostrils from the unique stench of the swamps to the fresh smell of crawfish being prepared within the area. Beck, typically used to the quiet surrounding, just soaked it all in as he closed his eyes, concentrating on the ride and sounds of the land. Trumpets soon filled the air, causing the students to all observe the beauty of the city. Oddly built houses that held their own definition of beauty. The locals who noticed them would wave with large smiles on their faces; to which Cat emphatically greeted with a wave of her own.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we'll be arriving at our hotel in less than half an hour!" the coconut loving nut case they loved announced with vigor. "Once you've gotten settled in, please be sure to let someone know of your whereabouts whenever you decide to go out. Use the buddy system if able to and for the love of Gandhi, please promise me one thing children."

Each and every one of them gave him their undivided attention.

"Enjoy New Orleans!" he grinned proudly.

* * *

Night swiftly fell over New Orleans. In many parts of the city, the stars practically outshined the many lights. On the other side of town, away from Liam and the others, two individuals would find themselves wandering the streets of the vibrant city, marveling at the sights of their environment. Exchanging glances it seemed that they were enjoying themselves for the time being. Between the both of them, a young woman in her early twenties, sporting a masculine styled black pixie-esque haircut took hold of her lover's hand, showing off a tattoo of a sugar skull, one of the several others placed along her body.

"I can't believe, after all of this time we're finally going on vacation!" she exclaimed while kissing her partner's cheek.

The partner in question was another young woman with long flowing brown hair that ended in the middle of her back. Having honey brown eyes that grew brighter under the right light, she smiled a radiant smile that only accentuated her beauty. Soft tan skin meshing with that of her lover's, the young woman pulled her into a quick kiss before resting her head on their shoulder.

"It's been a long time coming, but we've managed to make this happen." she sighed contently. "And just in time for Mardi Gras season? Things couldn't get more perfect."

"Being here with you makes it one hundred times better than perfect." she bumped the girl with her hip playfully, earning a light-hearted giggle for her troubles.

"For someone who's so tough, you sure can be a big softy." she teased but wound up unable to move forward due to a hand gripping her jacket.

"solo para ti mi amor **(Only for you my love)** " she growled before ravaging the woman's lips once more.

In the midst of things heating up, the aggressive pulled away suddenly, staring at her partner, or rather past her, with disbelief. "Mercedes? What's wrong?" The young woman shook her head, passing her significant other, her focus clearly on something else. Puzzled, she crossed the sea of locals and fellow tourists, her eyes set on someone specifically. Mercedes watched as whoever she had targeted, was flanked by two others at a far-off jazz club. One whom she'd been following was a slightly pale skinned girl with long black hair with streaks of blue at the ends clothed in an all-black ensemble, tank top combined with matching skirt and sheer leggings tucked into combat boots. It was like looking in a mirror when she noticed the eyebrow piercing and tattoo of a raven on the back portion of her shoulder. As she pressed on, her eyes widened to find the tan skinned girl turning to a taller male, who she assumed to be African-American, with long locs that stop just past his shoulder. As the trio made their departure, no doubt in hopes of seeing the other sights Bourbon Street had to offer, Mercedes couldn't shake this feeling that she knew this girl.

Forgetting about her need for a relaxing vacation, she followed them. From china shops to the local restaurants, she refused to lose track of the three...

* * *

He wasn't the brightest bulb in the lamp, but Liam was no idiot. Ever since he and his girlfriends arrived in New Orleans, he found himself feeling this nagging sensation that only seemed to grow stronger as the day progressed. After setting up shop in the hotel room, along with Beck and Andre, he opted to check out the more authentic crowd with Tori and Jade. Over time, they had watched street performers dancing and playing upbeat tunes that suggested merriment and life but, that feeling didn't go away...

It wasn't until he and his ladies had left a cajun based diner while agreeing to try it out the next day when he happened to notice something. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a young woman looking rather suspicious which prompted him to subtly warn both Jade and Tori. Fearing that it may have just been paranoia, the group stopped several times at various shops and stands, noticing the young woman doing the same several dozens of feet away. Tori was nervous, but Jade? She was more pissed that someone would dare attempt to ruin their special time together.

The three agreed to corner their mysterious stalker, Tori and Jade being the bait for the woman to follow. The plan was set into motion when Liam headed inside of a small shop filled with knick-knacks and books while the two ventured off in the opposite direction. As expected she took the bait, following the girls while they headed towards what appeared to be the shadow area of the city. Several minutes passed and soon their speed walk had turned into a full sprint once they realized the crowd was no longer around.

The duo weaved through several streets, cutting corners as best they could in hopes of either losing their pursuer or luring her into a trap. The young woman didn't relent, following them at every turn. Like in a predictable horror movie, Jade and Tori wound up running into a dead end; specifically a dark alley. Frustration set in when their ears took in the lone echo of footsteps behind them. Their bodies stiffened like boards turning around shortly after in the midst of the lone woman.

"Finally, I caught you..." she nearly wheezed. "I thought you two would never stop fleeing."

Stepping in front a visibly worried Tori, Jade took a defensive stance. "Wouldn't have to run if we weren't be chased."

"Great, you're a smart ass too."

"Why are you chasing us anyway?" the goth managed to get out in between breaths.

"I need to talk to her." she pointed at a now confused Tori Vega.

"Tell us who you are and MAYBE I'll consider letting that happen." the amount of effort behind Jade's responses almost led Tori to believe that she was being territorial of her; as if, she was happy to protect her.

"My name is of no importance," she growled. "I just need to-!"

"What you need to do is leave them alone." a strong, forceful voice broke her threat attempt. Everyone turned their attention to the stoic figure walking behind the unknown woman. "Now, I believe my girls asked you a question."

Though his gaze was cold, it was enough to ignite a fire inside of the young woman. "I don't answer to hyper-sensitive men!"

Twisting her body, she threw a low sweeping kick that successfully took him off of his feet. However, she was unable to land the finishing blow when he managed to torque his frame just enough to flip out of the way, giving him enough of an opening to throw solid knee that was blocked by one of her own. As he crouched to stand, she tackled him but found herself monkey flipped in the air forcing her to land on her back with a hard thud.

"You're pretty skilled, but that isn't good enough," he smirked confidently. "Sneak attacks are so unbecoming."

Pulling herself to her feet, the woman dusted herself off. "I'd give you a compliment, but I refuse to stroke a man's ego."

Without warning, she lunged at him once more, though, with enough time to counter, Liam was able to easily sidestep her and grab her wrist, folding it behind her head. "You've got a lot of anger for someone who's been stalking us," he grunted. "Almost like you're the victim in all of this."

The next thing Liam knew, he would collapse on the ground with an intense shooting from his groin. Wincing, he struggled to get back to his feet only to eat several punches to the chin and chest. Though he would raise a hand to block, Jade and Tori could see his movements had grown significantly slowly, allowing their stalker to connect repeatedly with punches. Soon his head would bounce off of the dirt road as the woman straddled prepared to unleash an unholy barrage. One thing set them both off; A sickening crunch from a blow connecting with the bridge of his nose, freeing up the well. Dark crimson poured out like a leaky faucet when Liam felt the weight suddenly lift from his sternum.

It was actually Tori who had knocked the woman down, releasing pent-up anger towards her. A series of hard slaps connected with forearms until she too was bucked off. She would land awkwardly as a result but prepared to strike again until...

Another figure made their way toward the four.

"Mercedes? Are you there?" Everyone stared in shock at the voice calling out.

It was a voice so recognizable, that nobody present could deny it's owner.

"Is that who I think it is?" Tori let out a soft gasp, tears pooling along the corner of her eyes.

Jade, who was now tending to a wounded Liam, felt her eyes narrow into thin slits. "I know that it's not who I think it is."

Stepping into the light, the identity of the woman was revealed as a worried, and out of breath, Trina Vega soon rushed over to her recovering lover.

"Are you okay?" she cried out, noticing the dirt marks all over her face and clothes. "Who did this to you?"

Pointing to the trio, Trina followed the direction prepared to release hell's gates when her eyes widened in a mix of awe and terror.

"Tori?"

"Trina?"

"So you know this girl?" the girl known as Mercedes asked.

Trina turned to face her, nodding with excitement. "She's my sister."

Taking in that revelation, she would turn her pointer behind her. "Then who are those two?"

The older Vega sister felt like her heart was in a vice grip. Her mouth grew dry and her palms grew sweatier by the second. "T-the pale girl is J-Jade... and..." she couldn't bring herself to say the name of the male who, with the help of the goth, had gotten back up to his feet.

"So, after all of this time, you've come back from the dead?" Jade snarled, not even trying mask the hellacious fury in her voice. "Tell her who he is or else...!"

"That's enough, Jade." his tone, calm and smooth, seemed to have an effect on her as she closed her mouth but, kept her fists clenched tightly. "Please, calm down. For us?" he coughed a bit, spitting some excess saliva that had built up in his mouth before turning his gaze to the woman that once held his heart. His face was unreadable to her, something she'd come to expect after their time together.

"Hi, Liam..."

"Trina..."

"Long time no see..."

"Yeah."

"..."

"..."

"How have you been?"

"Cut the crap, Vega!" Jade snapped again, despite Liam's plea.

"Jade?"

"No! I know what she's doing and I won't let it happen..." she spat. "I doubt Tori would either."

Although tensions were high, this would pique Trina's interest. "What does she mean? What is she talking about, Liam?"

"What it means, you dumb bimbo is...!"

"She means that her, Tori, and myself are an item." he watched as slowly, her eyes widened. It did little to shift his cold and calculating tone. "In other words, Jade AND Tori are my girlfriends..."

* * *

 **Alright, ladies and gentlemen, this concludes our tale leading up to Trina's re-emergence into Demons Within. I spent several weeks wondering how I would bring her back and have been given this idea thanks to** OnASnowyDay **who also gave me the OC Mercedes. I know this may leave much to be desired but a lot will be explained in the coming chapters. For now, I can confirm that Trina is bisexual at this point in the story, not full on lesbian. I may do a One-Shot involving her and Mercedes or just make a completely separate story involving those two meeting one another.**

 **There's about to be much more fireworks next chapter so don't stay away too long. Also, if you have any ideas that you'd like to input, feel free to drop me a message or review. If I put it in the story, you'll receive full credit for your contribution to this. I'm considering turning this into a series as well, with this story possibly drawing to a close. I wouldn't mind bringing out a storyline that takes place after the conclusion of this fic but, in the meantime, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and be on the lookout for the next installment of Demons Within.**


	27. Chapter 22a

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 22.5: Sweet Injustice**

"Whenever you are about to Find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question:

What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?"

\- Marcus Aurelius

* * *

waters of the Mississippi River flowing peacefully created a perfect contrast to the atmosphere surrounding the five individuals standing across one another. A slew of emotions fired in several directions, serving only to intensify the tension. Eyes burning with cautious intent, each form remain frozen in place, unknowing of what would happen if they made a sudden move. The two most obvious expressions came from both Jade and Mercedes respectively, neither hiding their steadily rising anger towards the other, as well as the ones considered to be their significant other. At any given opportunity, either girl could ignite the flames of aggression and unleash a hellacious fury.

In contrast, Trina and Liam held differing gazes towards one another that could only be described as a cauldron of emotions. Trina, while managing to maintain a straight face, was clearly shaken at the sight of the young man that once held her heart. On the other hand, Liam's face was completely indecipherable. Even when she would find herself peering into his emerald portals, she only spotted incomprehensible hieroglyphics behind them. Thoughts of her past, memories that she left behind, came flooding back as she clutched the hem of her jacket.

Out of the five, she was the most affected by the sudden resurrection of her long-lost sister. If there was anyone who with more polarizing feelings about the situation, it was her. Her body remained frozen in place, rooted in her conflicting emotions, her silence speaking volumes more than her words ever could. When Trina finally ripped her shame-filled gaze from the injured teen, the two sisters would find themselves embroiled in another staredown that only accentuated the guilt swimming in the older siblings stomach.

Eventually, Liam would grow tired of the melodramatic pause in time, choosing to silently walk away from the women. Tori would've made it her mission to follow but stopped immediately when she felt a hand grabbing her arm, accompanied by a slow head shake from Jade; in that moment, the goth's eyes softening briefly before narrowing once more at the two responsible for causing her boyfriend pain.

"He needs to be alone right now..." she whispered to her friend turned lover. "Besides, I don't trust myself to be alone with your," her blue eyes darkened to depths never thought possible for her. "I would say your sister, but I don't believe that suits her." she spat viciously.

"Jade, if you could let me explain," Trina started only to be silenced by a lifted pointer finger.

"Save it, Vega..." she seethed. "You've caused more than enough damage, even before showing up."

Once again, Trina felt confusion wash over her. "And what does that mean?"

Jade, despite wanting to savagely rip the girl apart, limb from limb, closed her eyes and took deep breaths to prevent such an act from occurring. "It shouldn't concern you anymore." she exhaled.

"That's not fair, Jade!" Trina grit her teeth at the sudden realization. "At least tell me what's going on?"

To everyone's surprise, aside from Tori herself, Jade snickered as if expressing her amusement. "As if you really care, Vega. You're the source of the problem!"

This prompted Mercedes, who remained quiet up to this point, to step forward.

"That's enough! Whatever she so called inflicted was well deserved for a slimeball such as him!" she retorted with a cocky grin of her own.

Feeling that urge to kill rising up once more, Jade found herself halted by the outstretched arm of Tori, a look of pseudo-tranquility masking her inner turmoil.

* * *

Mind clouded by battling feelings, Liam ceased his travel to sit on the bench, clutching his aching head in the process. It was like each emotion was being tossed against his skull. As he massaged his temples, many questions began to fill his head, occupying his brain for the time being.

Why was SHE here?

Why, of all people, would she reappear now?

This was supposed to be a pleasant vacation; a time to get away from stress and yet, here he was fruitlessly trying to soothe his pounding head. However, that would be the least of his worries as a warm trickle snapped him out his mental interrogation.

"Just great..." he huffed, making his way to the flowing river across from him.

Dipping his hands, he allowed the cool water to wipe away the red liquid from his nose until he was sure the leaking fluid had ceased its venture.

"Sorry about that..." shifting his focus away from the river, Liam stood to feet, seeing the last person he'd wanted to see at this moment. "Mercedes can be a bit rough if you're not careful."

Try as she might at wearing a playful grin, she could see that he wasn't amused at her comment, sniffing up any remains of blood that stayed behind. Behind his emerald pools was nothing short of warfare. In one orb, intense and burning anger, borderline hatred danced menacingly while, in the other, a cold darkness that shrouded him in mystery.

After over two years away, Trina could tell there were many significant changes about him physically as well. Back then, she remembered he had a nice body, slim and cut. The young man she was looking at now completely dwarfed her imagery. He had bulked up a little over time and it showed. Due to the heat, Liam was wearing only a grey sleeveless hoodie that clung to his torso that left plenty of imagination.

"I... I wanted to apologize for that too..."

"Whatever." If Trina didn't already feel dejected enough, she would've succumbed to the frigidness of his words.

"I guess I deserve that, huh?"

Silence.

"Liam, can you please just talk to me?" desperation poured from her lips, a waterfall of fear and shame now.

He averted his gaze, opting to watch the darkened waves pass by; anything to distract him from what he considered to be a weakness. After all of the time it took for him to rebuild himself, with the help of Jade and Tori, it realized just how easy it was for Trina to chip away at his defenses. His scowl, firm and solid at first, began to soften just enough for him to curse mentally.

"Fine." the tone of resignation pulled him from his self-loathing. "I get why you don't want to talk to me about what happened but answer me this..." Furrowed eyebrows now locked onto the object of his pain and suffering in the past, his undivided attention finally hers. With clenched fists, signs of her true feelings finally emerged though, she kept her gaze to the ground. "Why?"

Scoffing, Liam allowed himself to express some form of emotion as agitation masked his face. He crossed his arms, huffing. "Why what?"

"Why do you torment me?" Her eyes lifted, revealing a glare that he remembered all too well.

* * *

Tori sat on a lone bench silently between an irritated Mercedes and Jade, the latter of which leaning against a light post a few feet away. Staring at nothing in particular, so many questions flashed through the passages of the labyrinth that was her mind. After nearly three years, she was able to see her sister, happy that she was indeed alive. However, there was also the reality of negative feelings that rose up just as quickly as the positives.

Why did she leave?

How could she abandon her little sister?

Could things ever go back to where they were?

All of these and more haunted her, and with no clear answer in sight, she only felt her heart grow heavier with every minute that passed. Not only that, but there was the smallest sense of self-condemnation as well. With her relationship with Liam and Jade now exposed, how would Trina react? She felt the full impact of grief slamming down upon her, withering any resolve she could muster as the warm breeze suddenly grew colder to her; it was as if foreshadowing a sense some form of death or lifelessness.

"Tori?" her eyes, wide yet, blank, shifted slowly to the young woman responsible for the physical harm to her boyfriend. "I know this may not be the best time, but I had no intentions of harming you. When I saw you through the crowd, you looked so much like your sister that, I just had to see if you were." Noticing the woman taking a seat, Jade's glare intensified as she kept a sharp eye on Mercedes, ready to strike if necessary in order to protect. "I have to admit that things got out of hand,"

"Would that be before or after you attempted to break our boyfriend's nose?" the goth mocked, her tone signaling the dangerous territory Mercedes was crossing into.

Eyes like the earth itself darkened towards the "I only did what I had to do to defend myself from scum like him." she spat defiantly.

"That 'scum' happened to be protecting us from the stalker who's coming near uncharted territory," she smirked slyly. "I suggest you tread carefully, Porsche?"

Gritting her teeth, she stood to her feet, ignoring the startled reaction from the younger Vega. "My name is Mercedes!"

Jade waved off the correction, yawning out of boredom. "Yeah, okay Mustang."

Mercedes released a low growl, her dislike for the pale skinned girl growing more evident by the second.

"What the hell is your problem?!" she snarled.

"Aside from you stalking us, attacking our boyfriend, and being connected to any degree with Trina? Oh, nothing at all."

"I did what I had to do out of self-defense! He shouldn't have been there in the first place." Mercedes then allowed her frown to shift upward into a cruel smirk. "Maybe he wouldn't have gotten his ass kicked if he hadn't gotten involved. Some man."

Curiously, she noticed that Jade didn't take the bait, choosing instead, matching her smirk with a sadistic one of her own.

"Wow, you really are as dumb as that haircut makes you look." she taunted. "Anyone with half a functioning brain could tell that you were at a disadvantage the who 'fight'." The way the Hispanic woman glared at her proved that she'd hit a sore spot, most likely in the pride department. "#1. He doesn't hit women. Period. #2. He's well versed in a slew of martial arts including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Finally, #3. He let you hit him with that last shot to his nose so that you wouldn't feel bad."

"Blow it out of your ass!" she spat with venom.

"Funny. That's what Vega usually says." she giggled mockingly. "Maybe you two are a perfect match?"

Just then Mercedes stood up, eagerly prepared to give the pale girl a piece of her mind. Not one to be outdone, Jade pulled out a pair of her favorite scissors ready to use them however necessary when a tan arm appeared in her peripheral.

"Stop it, Jade..."

Both looked to see Tori, an almost unreadable expression on her face, finally speak up. While it was clear that the events transpiring had shaken the poor girl, it was unknown exactly how far this pushed her.

"Why are you defending her, Tori?" Jade huffed.

But she didn't answer verbally, the unyielding ferocity behind her eyes neither denying nor confirming Jade's accusation. She then turned to the now silent woman that held significance to her sister. "Take me to her right now."

No anger. Her voice was devoid of emotion yet, held so much authority that Mercedes couldn't find the courage to protest that demand.

* * *

"I'm sorry, would you care to repeat that?" Liam stared in disbelief at the young woman who once held his heart. His right eye twitched slightly at the gall of her question.

Not backing down, Trina crossed her arms over her chest. "I believe I was quite clear. Why are you tormenting me?"

So many things ran through his mind as the weight of her words seemed to drag him back into the emotional hell he'd just escaped some months prior. The nights spent with tears of anguish and the days of plastering a false smile so not to arouse suspicion from his friends and teachers came flooding back to him. The night he almost took his own life because he was haunted by her image. Feelings of guilt and shame had shrouded him like a smothering blanket because he didn't feel he was strong enough to protect her or anyone else after Trina's disappearance. He was lost in lonesome darkness.

His spirit nearly succumbed into an irreversible descent into hatred...

That is until Tori and Jade came along.

Those two managed to not only pull him out of the abyss but also succeeded in controlling those inner demons.

Every bit of damage that was left after 'Hurricane Trina' was painstakingly and patiently fixed and worked on by the duo.

Mentally, he began to calm down as evident by his soft smile.

"Trina, after all, you've done, you're the last person to talk to about tormenting." the tenderness of his tone forced her to question his sanity. Normally, he would yell at her, try to convince her of his pure efforts but now? He wasn't even trying to change her mind; he wasn't taking the bait. "Contrary to what you believe, I love Tori more than life itself as well as Jade. We've been through so much hell together and we only managed to grow closer and stronger together."

She snorted mockingly, none too pleased with him refusing to play their old games. "So you really expect me to believe you?"

"He's never given you any reason not to, has he?" Trina turned her attention behind her, seeing the trio of Jade, Mercedes, and a stone-faced Tori. "He's risked his life for Jade and I a little while back. He's suffered so much while trying to move on from you. He nearly took his own life because he kept hearing your voice and seeing images of you."

"Tori..." it was all she could get out before being silenced by a raised hand.

"I understand why you felt you needed to leave. I really do..."

"Then why won't you take my side in all of this?" she pleaded.

This time, Mercedes spoke up. "Because there's still a lot you haven't told me, Trina."

* * *

 **Sorry for this being such a short chapter, but it was giving me a lot of grief trying to write out a transitionary moment. Besides that, I was going through quite a bit of issue with depression and it was a major contribution to my writer's block lately. I apologize for the delayed update, but I am NOT giving up on this story. There will be no hiatus unless something major happens. I thank you all for the number of views of this story and to those who favorited and follow this fiction. Last time I checked, we are nearly to 2700 views for this which I am grateful for. Moving forward, this little sub-chapter is just my way of keeping things moving forward. We are nearing the ending of this arc and will be pushing for the next one in the coming chapters.**

 **The final arc of this story will be a bit more... action packed as a lot of issues are going to be brought to light. I would also like to reiterate that there will be a sequel to this story that will center around their lives after high school. I'm also storyboarding for a spin-off that will be centered around another particular genre (possibly supernatural). If you all have any suggestions, feel free to contact me through pm or the review section.**

 **For now, I'm going to get back to working on the next chapter. Perhaps I'll have something out on or before Halloween :)**


	28. Chapter 23

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 23: Family Affair?**

* * *

 ** _"Your perspective on life comes from the cage you were held captive in..."_**

 ** _\- Shannon L. Miller_**

* * *

Trina felt trapped between the four polarizing figures that surrounded her on both sides. Behind her stood an annoyed Jade, a stoic Tori, and a no-nonsense looking Mercedes. In front of her, the strong figure of Liam stood, his face calm yet, she could feel his eyes piercing into her very soul. Faint sounds of the crowds mixed with the chorus of the bayou that flanked either side of the group.

"I take it that you three have something to say?" Liam raised an eyebrow.

With two out of the three nodding, he shrugged casually, giving the ladies the floor. Jade, the odd one out, merely walked past but made sure to flash the dirtiest of glares at Trina before going over to check on her boyfriend. Seeing his physical wounds were well off, she began whispering about his psyche, concerned with the mental stress he'd possibly been going through. While this went on, Mercedes stepped forward with arms crossed under her breasts.

"Baby?" she whimpered only to be silenced by a raised hand.

"The only time you need to talk is to answer our questions." she seethed. "Other than that, keep your mouth shut, amor."

Without much of a leg to stand on, Trina visibly gulped and nodded. Now somewhat satisfied, Mercedes stepped aside, allowing Trina's younger sister to approach her. There were so many emotions behind the two girl's eyes that there was almost no need for words to be said. In any case, Tori persisted anyway. It was weird, being in a situation like this; she felt like the little girl that used to look up to her big sister.

Jade recognized the potential for an eruption and, turning to Tori expressed her concern. "We're going back to the hotel so he can rest and get out of this heat. Do you want us to wait or-"

"Go..." her tone was flat, nothing emotional gave the two anything to work with involving a direction for the conversation that was about to ensue. "I'll meet you both when we've finished here."

Nodding, Jade and Liam, though unsure if they were making the right decision, obliged. Each continued to look over their shoulder as until the trio were no longer in sight.

"Trina..." she whispered. "Why?" Biting her lip, she opened her mouth to ask what Tori meant but found herself thwarted. "Why did you leave, Trina?!"

Her throat was dry, making it painful to swallow. The seemingly simple question felt as if she'd been asked for the answer to cold fusion. "Tori, I thought I spelled it out in my letter..."

"Possibly," she crossed her arms. "But I want to hear it out of your own mouth."

The tension grew thicker than the humid air around them, causing Mercedes to feel out of place.

"I think I'm going to go myself," she took a few steps away from the sisters. "This seems like a family matter..."

Tori made no motion to the young woman.

Trina, however, tossed her beau a pleading gaze that went unnoticed by the short haired girl. "We'll talk when you're done with this conversation, Trina. I'll be near our hotel getting some food or something." Looking over her shoulder, Mercedes stopped for a moment. "It was nice to finally meet you, Tori. Please tell your boyfriend that I'm sorry about punching him in the nose.

The sound of her boots connecting with the ground below echoed in the night as she headed back to the festivities, leaving behind two siblings to sort out their dysfunctional past.

* * *

"Honestly, you're hopeless sometimes." Jade teased a none too pleased Liam. "Getting beat up by a girl?" Rolling his eyes, he shoved his hands into his pants pockets, grumbling something incoherent. She picked up his fragility and kissed his cheek which served to make him blush from her sudden display of affection. "Better?"

Though still stinging from the punch to his, now, swollen nose, he nodded, smiling softly. "Better." Now satisfied, Jade took his hand and led him down a street that aroused suspicion from the boy. Though it was still a part of the french quarter's district, Liam was growing more and more unsettled with every twist and turn they took. "Jade, this isn't the way to the hotel." He yelled out, narrowly avoiding a couple engaged in intimacy. Darker and darker their path grew until Jade finally halted her steps. "Jade, where in the hell are we?"

Scouting her surroundings, Liam took the moment to catch his breath as she walked towards what looked like a dead end.

"It's supposed to be here," she muttered.

Raising an eyebrow, Liam felt something that he'd not felt since his time in Yerba, fear. "Jade?" he warned. "What are you up to?"

"A shop..."

"A shop? In the middle of a dead end alley?" he glanced sideways, half expecting someone to spring out. "Of all of the wacky ideas, Jade..."

"I know what I'm talking about," she protested before resuming her investigation. "I probably shouldn't have taken that left back there."

Resisting the urge to face-palm, mostly due to his injured nose, Liam sighed heavily instead. "So, not only do you have us in some dark alleyway where Lord knows what is lurking about," he crossed his arms, glaring disapprovingly. "But you don't even know where this place is?! The only thing that could make this worse is if this shop you're looking for is based around voodoo and spells..." his brain clicked at that exact moment before he turned to his girlfriend giggling nervously. "Oh no, I'm not going... After this past Halloween, I've had my fill of supernatural anomalies and abnormalities!"

"Would you relax?" she finally replied in irritation. "I just wanted to check it out after I heard one of the vendor's talking about better quality items. I just want to get an early souvenir so we don't have to worry about looking later on." Amidst her annoyance, Liam didn't miss her averting her gaze as if having trouble with making eye-contact. "Although, you might be right about us being-"

"Lost?" The unknown voice caused the couple to nearly jump out of their skin. Immediately, they turned around to find a womanly figure staring at them. "My apologies, children. I happened to be passing by when I heard you were looking for a specific shop."

While Liam once again attempted to calm his nerves, Jade stomped past him towards the lone woman whose full appearance was shielded by a single street lamp.

"So you just happened to be 'passing by' huh?" she narrowed her eyes. "Do you always eavesdrop on other's conversations or is this a special occasion?"

Half expecting the polite woman to back away, Jade was surprised when the scarlet-clad woman leaned forward.

"Judging by your poor sense of directions, I'd consider my showing up to be the latter, dear." Her words were laced heavily by her southern accent. "Now would you like my help or not?"

"Yes, please!" Liam's voice broke up the battling ladies internal strife. "Would you mind guiding us out of here?"

Taking notice of him, the woman strode past, ignoring her former foe in favor of the attractive young man that stood before her, studying him as if he were her favorite book in the library. "For you, sugar," Her ruby lips parted into an enigmatic smile. "It would be a pleasure to assist you."

Liam, noticing Jade about to say something that could result in another verbal scuffle, quickly thanked the woman who then turned around. With a smug grin directed towards the ivory skin girl, who seemed ready to blow a gasket at the not so subtly flirtatious woman, she proceeded out of the alleyway with them following close behind.

"Obrigado..."

* * *

Tori, you don't understand..." the older sibling groaned. "I was in a really bad place back then. I was involved in... somethings that were too deep to discuss. Running away was the only choice I had."

Standing before her sister, Tori didn't look phased at all by, what she considered to be a half-ass excuse.

"You still haven't answered my question, Trina." a scowl began forming on her lips. "I'm not that little girl who you feel you have to keep secrets from to 'protect' me. Now talk..."

Try as she may, Trina bowed her head. "I was a prostitute, Tori..." her tone suddenly shifted from desperate to flat out broken. "I got involved with this guy; he said he could help me become a star and, I foolishly believed him. He paid for my audition but I bombed horribly." her brown eyes remained fixed on the ground, not wanting to face the judgmental glare of her own flesh and blood. "After that, he told me that I had to pay him back with interest which led to me whoring around."

While her face didn't change, Tori's widening orbs gave all the evidence of her horrified feelings. "Trina, you were sleeping around with strange men?" concerned managed to unearth itself from the grave of emotions.

Trina shook her head, much to her relief.

"No, I've only slept with one guy," she admitted, further quelling the flame burning insider her little sister. "But, that lifestyle is what led to me and Liam meeting." Sensing Tori's curiosity, she continued. "I was required to give oral sex in exchange for money and he happened to be spying on me... uh, not like a pervert!" she waved her hands frantically in front of her to emphasize her point. "He mentioned that he was following some boys to the old theater where he stumbled upon what I was involved in. After the boys had their fun, he helped me out and even gave me his jacket so that I could cover myself. After that, all he wanted was to be my friend..."

Tori watched as searing tears began to descend down the older Vega's cheek.

"Why didn't you tell anyone, Trina?"

"You were so busy with your friends," she sniffled. "Mom and Dad didn't seem to care enough for me to want to tell them, so I just suffered in silence. I mean, I did until Liam came in my life... He resisted my advances, defended me when I couldn't fend for myself and was even willing to save me from my pimp and any of his associates. He was perfect..."

Losing herself to her own thought, Tori couldn't disagree with her.

"If all of this is true," she sighed. "why did you just leave him, Trina?"

Staring at the calming river, Trina let her thoughts mirror the water's actions, flowing until the exact memory surfaced. "The night after I left Sikowitz's little get together, I ran into Liam again. We argued but, like always, he managed to break down my walls and," her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. "we gave each other our virginities. I felt protected and loved for the first time in forever, Tori! Everything he'd ever told me seemed like they could be true!" she cried, not caring if anyone else saw her breaking down. "But, after we made love, I managed to check my phone. Several messages from that man and one of his goons forced me to leave."

Understanding washed over the face of Tori Vega, but even she couldn't hide the cracks of confusion that were present as well. "I know I might sound like a broken record here, but why?"

Trina wiped away some of the tears that stained her soft cheek. "The goon was a student at Hollywood Arts whose identity I never knew." she partially lied. "And despite Liam's claims, I didn't want him getting dragged into my mess any deeper than he already was. He was willing to die protecting me if he had to. I couldn't be selfish to someone who'd been so sweet and kind to me."

Hearing her sister's heartfelt words, Tori couldn't hold onto her animosity any longer. Grabbing Trina's shoulders, she pulled the young woman into a tight hug, squeezing her for good measure. As expected, she broke down completely, sobbing onto her bare shoulder.

"Tori, I'm so sorry!" she wept.

"I forgive you," she whispered. "Can you forgive me though?"

Uncertain of the words from her sibling, Trina pulled away slightly. "Forgive you for what?"

"For making you feel unloved and unwanted.." she too felt the familiar sensation of pain and remorse trickling down her face. "I held so much anger towards you, Trina for you running away. I felt so hurt and betrayed when you just up and left that I began blaming myself for everything. I thought that you were just being a selfish gank to Liam that I grew to resent you. Maybe we could've helped you or perhaps got the authorities involved."

It was Trina's turn to comfort her sister, placing her hands upon Tori's shoulders.

"You don't need to apologize, baby sis." she smiled softly. "The way I see it, we've both been through hell and we're both happy now, it seems."

"You have no idea," she giggled despite the tears staining her cheek. "After two and a half years, I'm really happy with him AND Jade."

"How anyone can be happy with Jade is beyond me..." Trina jokingly retorted, receiving a playful bump as a result. "What? You can't tell me that you haven't wondered that yourself."

Tapping her chin, she shrugged slightly. "Okay, you've made your point."

"So, where do we go from here?"

"Can I have my sister back, please?"

"Of course, Tori."

Smiling brightly, the younger Vega sister hugged her older sibling. "Then maybe we can fill each other in on what's been going on over the past few years?"

"That sounds like a good idea."

Settling their dispute, Katrina and Victoria Vega made their way back to Bourbon Street, leaving their woes behind, lost in the depths of the bayou.

* * *

Jade and Liam entered their destination, a simple shop known as 'Lucille's Coven', with caution. Being surrounded by various mystical objects, while exciting for Jade, visibly unnerved Liam, who was wary of touching anything. Interestingly, the woman whom they assumed to be Lucille pressed on, stepping behind a curtain, she signaled the duo to follow to which they obliged.

"Make yourselves at home dears," she ushered them into what looked like a living quarter. "Now, what brings you two to Louisiana?"

"Vacation." Liam swiftly answered, his eyes shifting from side to side. "We're tourists."

Eyebrows raised, the woman's full lips curled upward as she once again analyzed the nervous boy. "Tourist, ya say? Well, Eskize mwen* **(** **Excuse me),** allow me to introduce myself... My name's Lucille Laveau, the matriarch of Lucille's Coven. I own this little shop." she curtsied elegantly. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Charmed. I'm Jade and this is Liam, my BOYFRIEND." she made sure to put emphasis on that last part, much to the irritation of the woman. "We weren't planning on staying long, we just need a way back to Bourbon Street and we'll be on our way."

"So soon?" Lucille pouted. "I thought you were looking to find something to acquire as a, how did ya put it, souvenir?"

Sensing this was a trap, Jade took her lover's hand leading him towards the entrance of the room. "I'll wrestle an alligator or something for its skin. We're out of here lady..."

"Very well, but mark my words," the woman smirked under the dim lighting. "you'll be back."

Liam turned around just before disappearing behind the curtain, but not before seeing her mouth something.

Once outside, Jade began storming down the poorly lit alley. "Can you believe the nerve of that hussie?" she scoffed.

"Maybe this will teach you not to just go off searching for random backdoor voodoo shops?" he teased.

Shooting a glare at him, Jade simply huffed at the joking nature of her boyfriend, choosing to take his words as half scolding, and half humorous. "Whatever, let's just get out of here and head back to the hotel." she turned fully to grab the collar of his shirt that was nearly soaked from sweat. "We need to get you cleaned up, tiger. This little monster has plans for you tonight." biting her lip, Jade decided to put an extra sway in her step, giving her now mesmerized significant other a perfect view of her ass.

"You don't play fair..." he groaned.

"Do I ever?" she winked over her shoulder.

'She makes a good point.' his inner self had to admit.

Soon the two were jogging after one another, both eager to make it back so they could savor the reward that awaited them.

* * *

Back at the shop, a visibly upset Lucille continued to glare daggers at the defenseless curtain that marked the entrance to her private domain. To say that she was none too pleased to see the two teens leave so suddenly would be an understatement. Her duel colored eyes flashed with rage as her brown locs began to ascend; her

"Calm down, my child." an elder woman, outfitted in a blue dress, stepped into the room through another door. "You'll destroy the room again."

It took a sheer force of will, but she managed to regain control of her emotions courtesy of some breathing techniques. Around her, several trinkets and knick-knacks slowly returned to their original spots throughout the room. The older woman eyed Lucille carefully as if reading her mind. Her eyes were the exact same color but her hair, while still mostly full of color and life, had a few streaks of grey mixed in as well. With a light brown complexion, she was the spitting image of the still breathing girl.

"What is troubling you, dear?" she tilted her head, concerned about what had pushed Lucille to such extremes.

"I found him, mother..." unlike a few seconds ago, her tone was now perfectly steady; no sign of any potential outburst was present. Turning to the woman, her face was more like a child excited to open their first gift on Christmas morning. "I know it's him! I just know he is, this time!"

Shaking her head, Lucille's mother gazed sadly. "My daughter, how can you be certain that this one is him? All of the other young men you thought to be the one turned out not to be. They lost their souls after you thought they were who you're claiming this person to be."

"This one is different!" she interrupted.

Still not convinced, the woman tucked a loc behind her ear. "And how can you prove it this time, Lucille?"

Lucille, known for her stubbornness, wondered that herself. "Aha! The prophecy!" she happily rushed around the main table, nabbing a large book and sifting through the pages. "The prophecy stated that he would appear a little bit before his 18th birthday. If I can find evidence of his age and birthdate, then would you believe me, mother?"

Seeing the light behind her violet/emerald orbs, the woman exhaled in resignation.

"You may investigate, Lucille, but no spells or enchantments until you've confirmed his identity. My heart can't take another failure..."

The younger woman captured her in a bear hug, giggling playfully. "Thank you, mother! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"But, tonight I need you to go to bed if you're going to go through with this, alright?"

"Alright..." Lucille pouted, earning her an eye roll from the amuse elder. "Goodnight, mom."

"Goodnight, my precious magnolia." she kissed her daughter's forehead before sending her off to bed. "Sweet dreams."

Making sure she was out of earshot, the woman's soft grin twisted into a heavy scowl of frustration and disappointment. As she mentioned, they both had attempted to find whom they considered being 'the one' only to wind up failing miserably. For years, they had been vexed by that vague prophecy that eventually, she grew weary, choosing to forget about it completely. Seeing her own daughter so anticipating, brought her immense happiness or extreme anguish and guilt. Over the past few years alone, she'd been responsible for dozens of young men who lost their souls in their search. The weight of their lives ending abruptly due to her naivety was the main reason for her giving up this search.

Checking the book Lucille brought, she scoured the pages until she found a particular incantation that could assist her, as well as ease the dread growing inside of her.

"Pachamama*, grace my heart and soul,

Conquer my spirit, take control.

Reveal unto me what my seed has sown

Show me the flower that is said to have grown."

From the book rose a small cloud of blue and brown smoke, hovering over the pages that summoned it. The elder woman watched diligently as it began to expand. Soon, her wait was rewarded with the cloud flashing various imagery. According to the text, she needed only to concentrate on the incantation spoken and it would reveal the identity the user sought.

She closed her eyes but opened them seconds later, now glowing a bright red. "Reveal them to me."

The images flashed rapidly before settling on the form of one, Liam who was currently asleep with a content Jade resting in bed. The enchanted cloud focused more on the groggy young man who just happened to blink several times, showing his emerald eyes, if only for a split second. Her eyes widened in shock as an all too familiar sensation welled up within her.

"Could he really be the one?"

* * *

 ***Pachamama: Mother earth in South American Mythology**

 **Alright, everyone, I'm a couple of days late on this update but I had a serious case of writer's block. Thankfully, I'm passed that as I'm finally updating again. I really hope you enjoy this chapter as this, along with the next few chapters will be concluding the second arc of this fic. This means there will be a third, (possibly final) arc that will pick up after the gang returns to Hollywood Arts. For the time being, let me know what you're expecting or guessing to see when the gang returns.**

 **For now, I thank all of you for continuing to support this story as it's really been my favorite to work on. I'm really grateful that we have nearly 3,000 views on this fic and counting as of the time of this update and a few of you all have actually followed this fic as well. It really means a lot to see you all liking my work and giving feedback as well.**

 **Lastly, the direction was to focus solely on Trina returning to the fold, but, as I was writing, I became more involved with the character of Lucille and her mother, who've taken quite an interested in Liam for some reason. So, I've chosen to extend the vacation portion in New Orleans and give a chance to flesh out some ideas throughout this portion instead of jumping back to L.A. This should give a bit of character development for the newest characters including Mercedes, who will remain as a part of the cast after this arc concludes. In the meantime, I'm going to bed in hopes of getting enough rest before starting on the next chapter.**

 **Goodnight/morning to you all and see ya next time.**

 **-KenshinIchimaru**


	29. Chapter 24

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 24: Mistress Fate**

* * *

 ** _"Your perspective on life comes from the cage you were held captive in..."_**

 ** _\- Shannon L. Miller_**

* * *

A couple of days passed after the trio were reintroduced to Trina Vega, each having their own opinions and reactions to her appearance. While Tori was happy about seeing her sister after all of this time, was more than eager to catch up with the older sibling. Jade, however, wasn't too thrilled in the least, opting instead to avoid the 'other Vega' through various means of distraction including spending alone time with her boyfriend, whenever possible. Speaking of her boyfriend, Liam was firmly in the middle about his feelings towards the young woman. In his mind, heart, and soul, he knew there was no chance of him ever desiring Trina in a romantic light again, but, it was clear that he was wrestling with something deemed more important.

Their strained friendship.

Loving the girl on a romantic scale was something in and of itself but, the bond they formed as friends truly took a toll on him. After waking up, he managed to shower, get dressed, and sneak out of the hotel room without waking Jade or Tori up. It was early morning so the air was pretty cool for the time being, a fact he took note of with a solid grin adorning his lips. It didn't take long for him to find himself back on Bourbon Street where contrary to the night scene, it was relatively peaceful. A number of people in the general area were far fewer during the day, giving him access to a lot of the many shops that were otherwise unavailable to him due to the large crowds. Each step he took brought with it many opportunities for him to explore and contemplate both his external surroundings and his inner thoughts.

One of those thoughts: The mysterious woman he and Jade ran into a few nights prior. Aside from their rather creepy introduction, he felt that the woman known as Lucille held good intentions. His mind wandered to their encounter, details of her beginning to cross his mind. Her duel colored eyes were the first thing that he remembered with her figure being the second thing. He was no cheater or skirt chaser by any means, but it was impossible for him to have not noticed how the tight scarlet dress fit on her. He found his face heating up, causing him to shake his head viciously to get rid of the thoughts that began to trail behind.

"Get a hold of yourself," he muttered, ignoring the weird looks he was receiving from those passing by. "There's no need to think about things like that."

"Is there something troubling you, young man?" a feminine voice asked.

Turning around swiftly, he found himself facing a beautiful woman holding a basket of flowers and herbs. Liam then took notice of her appearance, his face flushing a subtle shade of red at how beautiful she was. In spite of the curious arrangement she carried, the woman seemed to be in her late 30's or early 40's as her skin was without flaw. Her eyes, a vibrant golden brown were mesmerizing to him, a fact in which he had to visibly rub his eyes to avoid staring. While he stood at 6'4" she was only about two or three inches shorter than he was and had a pretty good build to her form.

"Can I help you with something?" he snapped out of his analytical stupor after hearing the annoyance in her tone. "Or would you prefer to continue eyeballing me like a piece of meat?"

Blinking like an idiot, Liam chuckled nervously, amplifying his guilt even further. "My apologies, I was just caught off guard by your beauty."

Thankfully, it seemed she wasn't too offended by his rudeness. "Apology accepted, mon cher*." she laughed. "Nice save with the compliment by the way." Seeing him still a bit rattled, the woman stepped closer to him. "Now would you kindly answer my question?"

"Oh, right..." he chuckled softly, clearly uncertain about telling a complete stranger, no matter how attractive she was, his business. "I was just lost in thought about someone I had met a few days ago. It's nothing really..."

Raising an eyebrow, she smirked as if saying that she wasn't buying his response completely. "It's a girl, isn't it?"

The corners of his eyes crinkled, and his lips twitched "You're a shaman or something, aren't you?"

She let out a hearty laugh, not caring who heard or saw her do so. "Here in Louisiana, the proper term is Voodoo Queen,"

"Sorry," his arms hugged his chest as he averted his gaze. "I'm just a bit wary of anything supernatural. I didn't mean anything by my statement."

Sensing his sincerity, she stretched out a hand as a gesture of good faith. "No problem, jeune âme!*"

'âme?' his eyes narrowed at that last word. "What does that word mean, exactly?"

"jeune âme? Why it means young soul in French." she shrugged nonchalantly. "Why so curious, sugar?"

"It's just something someone told me a little while ago." he rubbed his scruffy chin.

This piqued the woman's interest, narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously. "Did this girl you're thinking about say those words by chance?"

"Did your voodoo tell you that?" he jokingly smirked.

Sensing his humorous tone, the woman returned his expression. "Doesn't take voodoo to put two and two together. I am curious at what was said exactly..."

He took a moment to remember that night; meeting the slightly older woman, her and Jade having a not so pleasant interaction, and even seeing the shop named after her emerged in his mind's eye. Then it hit, the moment when Jade had had enough and stormed out of the place, bringing him along with her only for him to turn around. In truth, he was trying to apologize but found the woman saying something that even he found difficult to discern at first.

"I don't every word, but, I remember it was something like 'Ton coeur est..."

"Ton coeur est à moi, jeune âme?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right." he nodded. "Do you know what it means?"

Of course, she knew what it meant. It was clear when he said the first words to her. Her face had twisted into a soft frown as she 'pondered' a possible meaning to his statement.

"It sounds very familiar, I must admit." she nodded. "Unfortunately, I'm not too sure if I the proper translation, however." She then noticed the look of disappointment resting on his face. Dejected, he shoved his hands into his pockets before suddenly flashing a grateful grin.

"Well, that's alright. It was selfish of me to pull you away from what you were already involved in to tend to my petty problem." she gazed upon him with intense skepticism. "I'm sure I'll figure it out, eventually... Um, I'm sorry but I never got your name."

"The name's Cecilia."

"It's a pleasure to have met you, Madame Cecilia" he leaned forward, bowing in respect. "I hate that I've troubled you."

Not one to just leave things as awkward as they were, she crossed her arms under her large breasts, somehow managing not to knock the contents of her basket out. "You do know that it's customary for one to give their name in exchange for another's." she flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder.

Blushing, he began to panic at the truth of her words. "I- 'm Liam."

At that moment, Cecilia's eyes widened, almost as if hearing his name sparked something within her.

"Well, Liam," she grinned softly. "I think I know a way to find the solution to your little problem."

His eyes slowly lit up in anticipation as a large smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Really? I don't want to be a bother..."

"Not at all," she smiled herself, showing him her dazzling white teeth. "It would be my pleasure."

With things settled between them, Cecilia led him down the path to her shop, thoughts of who he was filling her head as they drew closer to their destination.

* * *

After the past couple of nights, Trina and Tori had begun their healing process, which clearly explained why the older sibling was at the hotel where the group was staying. Throughout the pleasantries, there were several concerns that plagued her. One being that Beck was possibly around and two, both Liam and Jade could potentially make things more complicated. The former of the two was a wildcard in her eyes, given his cordial reaction towards her pre-emotional meltdown. Would he truly forgive her? Could they salvage what remained of their friendship and make something work from there? Or had she burned that bridge beyond repair?

All of these and other questions ran wracked her brain as she approached the designated room and, considering her reprimanding from Mercedes, Trina knew she couldn't turn back after making such huge progress. Whoever was behind this door at the time, she'd face them head on and without fail. It was all that she could do in order to continue pressing forward.

Knocking on the door, she waited; anxiously hoping that it was her younger sister who'd answer the door.

Life had other things in mind, though as the door opened revealing nobody. Her logic told her to turn and run, seconded by her nerves, but her stubbornness willed her past the threshold. With a deep sigh, she looked around the modest room, distracted by the scenery but for a moment as the sounds of the door shutting behind her, sealing her fate with none other than"

"Jade..." her voice, while sturdy, still held a small measure of fear for the scowling goth. That fear was like a drop of blood in a shark tank and Jade had picked up the scent flawlessly.

"Vega..." her eyes flashed danger signs. "What are you doing here?"

Inhaling once more, Trina balled her fists, a physical reminder of her new resolve. "I came here expecting to see my sister, but," she swallowed. "I'm actually glad that I ran into you."

Now intrigued, Jade tilted her head slightly, surprised by the young woman's statement. "Really? Why would that be?"

"Because, like with Tori and, eventually Liam," she took special note of the blaze dancing behind the girl's eyes after mentioning her former lover. "I need to gather some understanding between us. If not for the sake of peace, I need this for myself to move forward."

"Sounds a bit selfish to me, if I do say so myself." she taunted, the faintest hint of a smirk formed. "But, what does your little venture of redemption have to do with me? Tori and Liam, I understand, but me? We had no deep relationship, so forgive me if I'm a bit confused by your alleged intentions."

By now, the tension was only growing between the two, now heavily fueled by Jade's sarcasm and teasing tone. Fortunately, Trina had been through enough over the time she'd been gone to learn how to control her emotions and not give into other's bait attempts.

Jade was no different.

"Actually, our history goes way before Liam and you know it." The ghost of a smirk instantly disappeared from the pale girl, replaced by her lips holding a straight line. "You've had it out for me since the day you stepped in Hollywood Arts. You never passed up an opportunity to criticize or belittle me. You called me untalented, a waste of space, unlikeable, and more."

"I remember it being 'a waste of life' but, whatever." she leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

Irritation slithered up Trina's spine at the 'correction'. "That's what I'm talking about!" she raised her voice, no longer caring about angering her. "What is your problem with me?!"

"My problem?" she scoffed. "Where do I begin, Vega?! How about your arrogant attitude and lack of talent? You walked around as if you were gods gift to the world of acting despite being mediocre at best. You had this A-list attitude while carrying below average skills in acting, singing, and even dancing. You continued to deny your lack of progress and thus only got worse each and every day! In fact, you're the main reason I couldn't stand Tori at first; everything I accused her of doing was merely me expecting her to be a carbon copy of you!" It seemed that Trina was right about Jade's issues with her as they poured out of the latter's mouth like water from a faucet. "You know, I could forgive all of that if you hadn't broken his heart..."

Now it was Trina's turn to fire back. "But you didn't waste any time in snatching him up did you?! Couldn't wait until after I was out of the picture to snag him in your claws, right? You march around like you're some saint or something but I know the truth about you Jade." she pointed her pointer at her dangerously. When Liam and I were dealing with our issues, you were lusting after him while still dating Beck. You were lusting after him while still in a relationship with someone. So don't you pretend like you're this angel or something when you have no right to judge given your history."

Finishing her mini speech, Trina found that her adversary didn't so much as bat an eyelash the entire time; truly uncharacteristic for her. Instead, the sounds of chuckling bounced off the walls of the hotel room.

"Angel?" Jade, struggling to contain the burst of laughter tickling her core, pushed off of the wall. "I'm the farthest thing from that, sweetie. In fact, with the things I've done, I'd be on my way down the literal highway to hell. I'd probably have a special VIP room waiting for me too if I had to take a guess. The point is this, my sins are not what's caused things to spiral downhill." dark lids narrowed at the tan girl. "Now, despite your accusation, I didn't pursue Liam until several months ago. Prior to that, I patiently waited for him to heal from the hole in his heart you left." she then held up a hand to stop Trina from interrupting. "Before you mention that private letter, he never saw it until around the same time we grew closer, meaning that for over two years, he never read your personal message to him and thought you had played him for a fool."

This revelation left Trina speechless, giving an emotional Jade room to continue.

"Do you know the hell he went through, Trina?" she growled, hot tears scorching her cheek. "He didn't go a single date after you left. He shunned his friends, his sister, and even his studies were lackluster. He was haunted, believing that he wasn't good enough to be with anyone after 'failing you' as he put it. Then, he almost took his own because he began seeing images of you. All of that time he spent suppressing his emotions about you manifested into him nearly jumping off of the roof of the dorms back in Los Angeles and, if Tori and I hadn't found him when we did, he'd probably be permanently crippled or dead." All of her rage, all of her hatred towards the girl standing in front of her. "I watched him at some of his best moments and struggled with him through his lowest points! You weren't..."

By this point, Trina really didn't have a leg to stand on in this heated debate. Here she was, hoping to confront Jade about their petty squabbling during the past and yet, it turned into a lesson in what she'd missed out on by running away from her problems.

"Jade, I get it."

"No! No, you don't, Trina!" Jade shut her down once more, he composure finally starting to return. "You weren't there when Tori and I were literally competing for his love and affection. You weren't there when he was attacked at school or at Yerba when he risked his life to protect your sister and me from some maniac with a fetish for torture and rape." Her head shooting up, Trina's eyes looked as if they would pop out of her head after hearing that part. "Yes, he was brutally beaten, thrown in the worst part of the foreign prison, and then left to die by infection all because he stood up to an insane man hellbent on using us as his personal playthings. When we finally escaped, he nearly died fighting that monster despite losing so much blood! He needed a transfusion just to keep himself stabilized while in a coma, Trina. So don't you dare spit that bullshit about not wanting him to get hurt on your behalf because he did it for us."

Trina just sat down in a nearby chair, contemplating all that she'd been told about the boy that once tried to save her.

"He really did all of that?" her voice filled with amazement and a touch of jealousy at this point.

Jade simply nodded as a small grin of tranquility began to wash over her like a waterfall, drenching her in love and peace for the first time since answering the door.

"Yeah, he's an incredible guy." her tone trailed off for a second. "It's why I had a problem when we saw you the other night."

"Do you think he'll ever forgive me, truthfully?" she whispered, her tone breaking every so often.

Jade, known for being the traditional 'bearer of bad news', pondered the question. "To be honest, I can say that he's going to get over everything but, to tell if he'll let you back in his life; I'm not sure, Trina..."

While there was still much to work through, for the time being, it seemed that things were civil between the two as Jade continued the conversation.

* * *

After their trek, Liam stood at the entrance to yet another voodoo shop, uncertain on whether he should enter.

"Relax, dear." Cecilia comforted. "There's a bit of time before opening hours so you shouldn't worry about anything." Against his better judgment, Liam followed her inside to find that things weren't as bad as he thought they would be. He looked around the store, marveling at how little he knew about places like the one he was in. "Is it what you expected?"

"Not at all," he laughed sheepishly. "I thought I'd see some shrunken heads and voodoo dolls. Instead, all I see are some candles, books, and herbs for the most part."

He pressed on further, inspecting a large jar of sage while she let out a humor-filled laugh. "Not all shops like this carry dark art items. Some, like me, sell herbs and the like to ward off evil spirits. There are various avenues for which one can venture if they choose to dive into the world of spiritualism." Pulling out a book, she started flipping through the pages in search of the phrase that was mentioned earlier by the distracted Liam.

Scanning the contents, the older woman would find herself settling on something rather interesting. The phrase he mentioned turned out to be a ritual to deciding the next Head Voodoo Queen in New Orleans. Inside, she continued to read about the descendants of the original queen, Agata who were born under incest in order to 'preserve' the 'pure' bloodline and through extension the rule of power. Cecilia continued on, learning that a prophecy dictated that the line of rule could be challenged when a male child was birthed from two differing parents, thus making him a 'mutt' in the eyes of the bayou spirits. Should that child return, anyone who married him would find themselves becoming the undisputed Voodoo Queen. All of this was easily interesting to her, but her intrigue reached new heights when a particular line caught her eyes.

 _For the male child to be known, utter these words:_ _Ton coeur est à moi, jeune âme._

 _This is the cursed mark implanted upon his soul unless he is claimed by another._

"Find anything?" he approached the counter, nearly startling the woman.

"Um, no... unfortunately, it appears that the phrase is nothing more than an old love ritual used centuries ago. Now it's just a fancy way of saying someone has a crush on you." she plastered a wide smile in hopes of covering up her lie. "It seems you were worried about nothing."

"Wow..." he ran his hands through his locs, clearly not happy with the outcome of his search. "That's legitimately disappointing."

Pivoting on his heel, he thought it best to just leave rather than wasting any more of her time. "Thank you, Cecilia! I'm grateful for your help. Sorry if I wasted your time..."

"Nonsense, sugar! I'm happy to help but," she furrowed her brow, staring into the book. "Do you, by any chance, know the name of the woman who told you that phrase? I may know her if she's local."

Thinking for a moment, Liam nodded. "It was a woman who also owns a voodoo shop. I believe her name was, Lucille?"

That name caused Cecilia's eyes to darken at the mention of that name. Intense and rising hatred boiled in her belly as Liam went on to explain how he, along with his girlfriend, met the woman, seeing her shop, albeit briefly, and the final phrase uttered before leaving to return to his hotel. If looks could cause damage, her shop would've burst into flame, a fact that he was completely oblivious to.

"Do you happen to know her?" he asked with curiosity and innocence lacing his words.

"Hmmm? Oh no, I actually don't... She must be new in town." she flashed a lackluster smile.

Returning the smile, Liam resumed his departure, stopping momentarily to thank Cecilia once again for her hospitality and left the shop, promising to return with his girlfriend to show her around.

Once he was gone, her smile dropped as the truth weighed down on her. That phrase; A simple phrase that, anywhere else, could mean absolutely nothing. For her, and those like her, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. The fact that HE was here in New Orleans at this exact time, combined with the reality of Lucille's knowledge of him first only exemplified her gut feeling. That boy, Liam, could possibly be the one destined to change the landscape of the voodoo hierarchy forever. There were several details to consider, but they were of little consequence should her hunch be correct. Immediately, she headed to the back, intent on making some plans before opening hours began.

"The king is here..." she smirked deviously, her mind becoming a catacomb for evil thoughts and darker intentions.

* * *

 **This seems like a decent place to stop for now. Considering I'm going to be focusing on this on a deeper scale, I'll probably try to keep pushing out a few chapters at a time (per week), if possible, for the sake of keeping the story going. Staying on one particular setting is difficult at times for me but I will be sticking to it for a bit to keep things stable and interesting.**

 **Now comes the big question, what is the significance of Liam being in New Orleans? Well, without spoiling anything, it has a lot to do with his past. When I first started this, I noted that he and Ahrya weren't actually brother & sister but, in fact, cousins.**

* * *

 **Mon Cher (My Dear)**

 **jeune âme (young soul)**

 **Ton coeur est à moi, jeune âme (Your heart belongs to me, young soul)**


	30. Chapter 25

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 25: Misunderstood Souls**

 **** ** _"Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens."  
_**

 ** _― Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind_**

* * *

The rest of the day held a lighter environment for Liam after leaving the shop of Cecilia despite leaving with more questions than answers. His mind soon transitioned to that of his other issue, Jade and Tori vs Trina and Mercedes. He didn't know much about them after he and Jade left but, judging by Tori's content face after returning, he assumed, correctly, that things were at least stable between the sisters. A soft frown slowly formed on his lips when he found himself standing in front of a peculiar garden. Having an affinity for nature, he was interested enough to enter the greenhouse.

His brain found itself immersed in the sweet scents of the many plants and flowers collected, wondering which exhibit to check out first. After much deliberation, he settled on a spot that resembled a rainforest. The sounds of rushing water mixed with animal calls soothed his spirit accentuated by the pleasant grin now plastered on his face. Here, Liam would allow himself to become lost in the world around him. For the first time since arriving in New Orleans, he was at peace; nothing could change that.

Little did he know, a young woman was about to challenge that theory.

"Excuse me," a soft yet sultry voice broke him from his gazing.

"My apologies," Forced to move, he turned around to apologize, stopping short only at the sudden recognition of the person. "Lucille?"

Both stared at the other in shock, each for different reasons. For Lucille, her eyes lit up at the sight of the attractive young man while Liam's face was that of anxiety. The latter continued to blink mindlessly while the former nearly squealed in delight while pulling him into a hug that forced his head into her enormous bosom.

"You remember me, hun!" she gleefully giggled despite her age. "That makes me so happy!" Squeezing tighter, Lucille failed to notice him waving his arms violently from the sudden lack of oxygen. It wasn't until his muffled pleas died down and his body started falling limp that she finally allowed the boy to breathe once more, as evident by him taking deep inhales of the precious air into his lungs. "Oops, sorry about that, love."

A few moments later, he would regain his previous demeanor, thankful that she wasn't wearing anything thin this time. Unlike the night before, the woman was wearing a Hello Kitty t-shirt and a pair of jeans, a complete contrast from the scarlet ensemble she'd worn the other night. "I never thought I'd be afraid of dying by suffocation due to breasts."

"You're hilarious, sugar!" Lucille giggled again at the boy, this time eyeing his hunched form with much intrigue. "What are you doing here though?"

"To be honest, I just stumbled upon this place while wandering around," he admitted guiltily. "I'm a big fan of nature so, it just clicked for me to come here."

"So am I!" her smile grew even wider.

Liam grinned, the first sign of his anxious feelings disappearing since running into the woman. "Wow, what a small world. Guess it works out for the both of us."

"I agree, hun. I was disappointed that you and your friend-"

"Girlfriend." he corrected, much to her disdain.

"-your girlfriend had to leave the other night. I was so looking forward to showing you the good side of voodoo."

"That's sweet, but you don't have to trouble yourself with that." she raised an eyebrow, confusion practically written on her forehead. "I ran into a nice lady earlier who gave me the rundown of how not all voodoo is evil. She was very sweet and informative." his eyes drifted off to the side, grateful that he left out the part about how attractive the older woman was in hopes of not arousing any more jealousy from the young woman before him.

Little good it did as she crossed her arms under her large breasts, a deep scowl now adorning her face. Liam quickly tried to change the subject to something a little more pleasant. Instinctively, Liam did his best to downplay his earlier words in hopes of brightening the woman's mood.

While this was going on, someone was watching the two while blending in well with the tourists that would come in and out of the building. Wearing a casual white sundress and a pair of sunglasses, the woman's eyes never left the pair, intent on discerning the young male's identity. The first thing she noticed was his hair, medium long locs that draped just past his broad shoulders. This brought her dual colored eyes to settle on his sturdy frame. While he wasn't brawny, he did have a bit of muscle mass on his to just pass the athletic build range. His demeanor only made her feel as if she knew him in spite of having never met the boy.

What she did recognize, however, was something that far exceeded any possible physical familiarity.

His aura.

The green tint surrounding his form had her stomach in knots while simultaneously calming her down as well. Knowing what this meant, she noticed black spots swimming within said aura that troubled her slightly. She then turned her attention to Lucille happily conversing with him. Seeing the way she carried herself around him, the woman figured him to be the one mentioned to her a few nights before. In her eyes, it was like viewing an old memory but, she was sure that she'd never seen the young man before this moment. With her emotions gaining strength, she turned around to leave her daughter to her own devices.

Stepping out of the greenhouse, Lucille's mother let out a sharp breath, one she hadn't realized she was holding in, deciding to head home. However, she wasn't able to get far, only able to take a few steps when she found herself cut off by another woman of similar age who looked none too pleased to see her.

"We need to talk..." the woman coldly glared.

Not one to be intimidated, she fired back with a demonic fire behind her dual gems. "I have nothing to say to you, Cecilia." she spat.

"But I have plenty to say to you, Celeste. Preferably, about that boy, you were just spying on..."

Sensing something amiss, Lucille's mother remained stone-faced, unsure of where things were leading. Instead of pressing matters further, the woman identified as Celeste nodded in compliance. She then found herself following Cecilia around the building, a good distance away from the crowd of people. As soon as they were well out of sight, Celeste crossed her arms in preparation for whatever the woman had to say.

"What in the hell could possibly possess you to want to talk to me?" she lips curled into a vicious snarl to which Celeste found amusing. "The last time we spoke, you were banished from the coven."

"It's funny that you'd mention the word 'possess'," she replied in a sing-song like voice. "You see, I met an interesting young man early this morning and, after a little conversation, he mentioned something that caught my attention." Judging the still hardened glare, Cecilia continued. "Does the phrase, 'Ton coeur est à moi, jeune âme' ring a bell?"

The slightly older woman's eyes widened in shock, much to Cecilia's delight. "Where on earth did someone like that hear that cursed phrase?" she whispered, a hallowed tone further exemplifying the anxiety within her. "It was forbidden for us to even utter such a phrase unless..."

"Unless a certain prophecy has been enacted." Celeste glared once more at the smug dark-skinned woman. "This brings me to my earlier question. Who was that boy you were spying on? Perhaps, he's the one that the prophecy spoke of?"

At that moment, Celeste could feel an evil presence projecting from her. It was both cold and sharp like being trapped in a blizzard, surrounded by frigid air that could cut down an oak tree with the sheer force it carried. In spite of this feeling, she noticed that Cecilia now had a seemingly harmless smile that, if one were not spiritually sound, could mistake for a genuine display of happiness or joy. The aura surrounding her told no lies as it was a dark forest green, a sign of resentment among other self-inflicting negativity.

Feeling that there was no other choice, she flared her own aura, a repelling muddied red color that too would be unseen by the casual person. "You don't scare me, sorcière pathétique **[1]**." she taunted. "We both know that my arts are still far beyond yours, ma sœur **[2]**."

True to her words, Celeste's aura began to swirl around her, shattering the icy atmosphere that surrounded the two, leaving behind it a sweltering blaze that threatened to swallow the now trembling voodoo practitioner. Eyes glowing a demonic shade of crimson, Cecilia lifted her hands in resignation.

"I concede," she admitted, her smile remaining. "I know when I'm beaten."

Puzzled, the dominant priestess withdrew her burst of fury while watching Cecilia waltz away with a look of satisfaction on her face. When she finally gathered the wherewithal to call out to her, Cecilia was long gone, hidden by the various locals and tourists that filled the streets.

'What the hell did that bokor **[3]** want?'

This and other thoughts began to form within her mind with little to no answers. Even with this setback, Celeste DID know one thing: Whatever that woman was up to, it wasn't going to be good.

* * *

Hours passed by as Liam and Lucille left the gardens, laughing and joking as they continued to chat about anything that came to mind. For Liam, he would tell the young woman about his life in L.A., careful to leave out the more personal details while Lucille shared her connections to spirits and the shop. As they walked down the street, it seemed that the two had grown to be good friends when a familiar figure approached them.

"Liam?"

The two turned their attention ahead to see a slim Latina smiling warmly, a gesture that was quickly reciprocated by the boy.

"Hey, querida!" he waved at her, much to Lucille's confusion, mostly because of the language he used. She would get some form of an answer when he walked over and kissed the girl on her cheek, causing her to raise an eyebrow in further uncertainty. The last thing she remembered from their initial encounter was him being alongside a pale skinned girl that gave off an uncomfortable vibe and yet, he Liam was kissing and showing affection to a completely different girl with little to no regard for the other girl in question. "Lucille, I'd like you to meet Tori, my girlfriend!" he excitedly announced with a huge smile.

"G-girlfriend?!" she gasped, much to his surprise.

"Yeah, she's my girlfriend," he replied with a now slowly shifting frown. "What's the matter?"

Looking at him as if he'd grown a tail and started breathing fire, Lucille pointed at him condescendingly. "What's the matter? You're in a relationship with another?"

She watched as he cocked his head slightly. "Yeah, I don't see a problem with that..." he shrugged.

Sighing, with the reality of having to spell this out for him as if he were a toddler, Lucille walked over to him with an annoyed gaze. "Imbécile! **[4]** " she flicked his forehead. "You can't just play with a maiden's heart like a toy and cast it off once you've used it all up! The heart is a sacred thing, much like the soul when it's formed a bond with another." She began preaching/chastising. "Should that bond be broken, the victim finds themselves in need of healing and recovery from the pain of having their love treated so insignificantly." While she continued to rant on with growing enthusiasm, she failed to notice the looks exchanged by the couple. "You shouldn't play with a maiden's heart like that."

She then poked him in the chest, failing miserably to hide the blush that crept on her face.

"Um... okay?" he chuckled uncomfortably whilst fearing that her sharp nail might pierce him should she put enough force. "While I understand what you mean, I'm relieved to say that it's not what you think."

He watched as Lucille pulled her hand away, though her judgmental frown stood firm. "Explain..."

What happened next, seemed to come right out of a drama show. Noticing the two were now silent, Lucille then picked up that neither was looking at her directly but rather, past her. Taking into account the concern written on their faces, she surmised that whatever was behind her, wasn't good. "It means, sweetheart, that he's taken by her and me..." She immediately turned around and realized she currently faced the person that the two were observing, Jade West. "And, if you know what good for you sunshine, I'd suggest that you put a bit of distance between yourself and my boy/girlfriend."

While Tori looked on, Liam quickly put himself between the two conflicting forces. It was no secret that Jade was not known for backing down and, after meeting her, learned that Lucile enjoyed provoking the goth. His actions proved to be the correct when Lucille open her mouth. "Seems the ghost finally appears," she smirked. "I thought I sensed the presence of desperation."

Half expecting her to snap at that very moment, both Liam and Tori were instead seeing Jade returning the expression with equal vigor. To the naked eye, things could easily be interpreted as heading towards a somewhat peaceful outcome. Veterans of Jade 101, the pair knew the path headed was nothing short of dangerous if left unchecked.

"Hey, Jade!" Tori walked over to the plotting girl, hoping to distract her from the challenge before her. "What are you up to?"

Jade cut her gaze, softening it in the process. "I was actually in the neighborhood, checking out some of the voodoo shops when it dawned on me," she flashed wicked grin that only spelled out trouble for her lovers. "I have a bone to pick with you both after the events of today."

"What did we do?" she turned her attention to her boyfriend with amusement at his cautious approach.

"We will discuss that later," she closed the gap between them both and planted a big kiss on his lips. She made it clear that she didn't care about how close the 'other woman' was to them at that point as she wrapped her arms around his neck, flipping the bird at Lucille behind them. "I found a perfect place for us to check out just before running into you two. Doesn't that sound fun?" seeing that all to familiar gleam in her azure pools caused Tori to swallow hard. It was no secret that she was into kinky things, but something about this time didn't sit well with her.

"Jade, I thought we agreed no practicing any voodoo on each other after a few months ago?" Liam spoke up, still shaking off the effects of her kiss. His answer came in the form of her hand resting gently on his cheek.

"Awwww. Don't worry, Tiger," she cooed. "This shop has nothing to do with supernatural things. In fact, the only thing that'll seem supernatural is the way I look tonight."

With his interest piqued, Liam just nodded, silently complying with her 'request'.

"Well Jade, it's not right to just leave Liam's friend out, is it?" Tori warned.

Raising an eyebrow, Jade casually pointed a thumb in the direction behind the two. "What 'friend'?"

They all turned to find that Lucille was nowhere around, the previously occupied spot now vacant.

"Huh? She was just here a few seconds ago..." Tori peered around, hoping to find the young woman nearby. Unfortunately, if she was around, she'd no doubt be lost in the shuffle of tourists by now. "I wonder where she went."

"Maybe she had to leave?" an equally puzzled Liam scratched his head. "I hope we didn't make her feel too uncomfortable..."

Knowing that his last statement was partially directed towards her, Jade began walking in the opposite direction. "Yeah, it's tragic. Now can we please enjoy our vacation, now? I'm sick of sharing our time with others."

"Jade," Tori groaned, chasing after the departing girl and leaving Liam by himself for a moment.

At first, he started to do the same but stopped short when he felt a strange sensation slither down his back. Eyes narrowed and his breathing hitched in his throat. "What's going on?" he muttered to no one. After a few more seconds, he managed to shake off the weird feeling and did his best to catch up with his darling and monster.

From a nearby alleyway, Lucille watched him leave, internally pleased with the results of her 'investigation'. After talking with him and testing his senses just now, she was even more sure that he was who she thought he was. Her heart filled with immense glee for a bit until reality settled in; he was taken by, not one, but two girls. This revelation only served to fuel the fire of jealousy burning within the depths of her stomach. One significant other was nothing she couldn't handle, she'd seduced men from their 'loves' with relative ease. This, however, would prove to be a much bigger issue that required a much different approach.

"Lucille!" a voice dragged her from her thoughts.

"Mother!" she smiled brightly at the older woman. "I'm so glad to see you!"

Despite her daughter's cheerful demeanor, it did little to change the sour expression of Celeste's. "My child, we must talk, immediately."

"Yes! I have so much to tell you about him." she held her hands together in glee, completely ignoring the woman's frown.

"That's what I need to discuss with you." she hissed, trying her best to pull Lucille's head from the clouds. "We have a huge problem."

"I know, it seems he's taken by two women which will make seducing him a much bigger challenge."

"Lucille..."

"Maybe I could leave a message in his mind..."

"My child..." she pled.

"...Or I could use a particular charm...?"

"Please listen,"

...Maybe I'll just use that phrase again to pull him from those two?"

"Silence!" Lucille stopped and finally noticed her flustered mother. "This is far more grave than just you claiming a man."

"Mother, what are you saying?"

"If he is as you say, then I fear that his life is potentially in danger." Celeste took her offspring's silence as an opportunity to catch her breath before continuing. "That boy could be the descendant of the last official Voodoo King."

Hearing this, Lucille dropped her personal desires for a moment to hear her mother's explanation. "But, what would that mean if he is?"

"For now, I don't know..." she bowed her head in defeat. "But there will be a meeting, thanks to Cecilia, your aunt. She somehow gathered information that might link that young man to the final king. She traced it to me thanks to a specific phrase that she claims you used on him, dear."

Blushing guiltily, Lucille watched her mother sigh in a mix of frustration and disappointment.

"Mother, I swear I didn't know that a simple phrase could turn out with this result." she stared at the ground, afraid to meet the woman's gaze. "I swear, I didn't know."

"While I understand, my daughter, it matters not at this point. We have to get ready..."

Bewildered, Lucille frowned softly. "Ready for what exactly?"

Celeste, who'd begun to walk further into the depths of the alley, turned to face her worried daughter. Haunted eyes locked with troubled orbs each translating the other's feelings. "The Coven meeting is tonight..."

 **[1] Pathetic witch**

 **[2] My Sister**

 **[3]** **practitioners of black magic and sorcery who are loosely tied to Voodoo.**

 **[4] Imbecile**

* * *

 **Alright, this seems like a good stopping point. I do apologize for the delay in updating. I wanted to get this chapter out almost a week ago but, I actually lost the will to write after a few personal events hit me one after the other. I didn't know where this chapter would lead exactly but, thanks to a certain review, I found that spark that pushed me to find where exactly I wanted to direct this arc. I give a big thank you to all who review or message me with ideas and compliments but, I'd like to give a special shout-out to** **Ellanannette Vega for your words of encouragement. They really made the difference in recovering my drive for writing this fiction.**

 **Now, another milestone is that, as of the time I'm writing this, we are five views away from 3000 and I'm looking to do something special to say thanks to you all who support and follow this story. I'm either thinking of doing a one-shot contest (non-canon), Idea contest (canon for the fic), or something along those lines. I may even throw in another OC contest. What would you guys like to see happen for this milestone? I ask that you send your feedback in the reviews so that I can keep up with them (I also use the app to keep up with reviews). So, once again, the choices are:**

 **One-shot contest (non-canon)**

 **Arc Idea contest (canon)**

 **OC contest (canon)**

 **Other**

 **With that said, I'm going to bed now and I hope you all enjoy this chapter. While it's not as exciting as the past, it is necessary as a build-up for what's to come. As mentioned, a meeting is about to take place that could decide the fate of Liam and those who are connected to him. Speaking of connections, what is the connection to Celeste, Lucille, and Cecilia? If you have an idea about what it might be, feel free to post that as well in the review section. For now, goodnight/morning to you all and I'll be back soon.**

 **Stay tuned.**


	31. Chapter 26

**It's been a while since I made an intro so, I decided to put one here. After making mention of this in a prior chapter, I have decided to ask you all for your input. As stated earlier, I'm planning on making this into a series but, I'm unsure of which direction to go from here. From this point, we're nearing the latter end of the first fic in the series and I have so many options that I could choose from, but I've narrowed it down to three clear paths. I will eventually work to do all that is listed below, but I want you all to give your feedback on which I should tackle first after this story fic concludes.**

 **The Demons Series**

 **1\. Demons Awakened:** **A direct (canon) sequel to Demons Within that will follow Liam after high school. (No spoilers)**

 **2\. Hidden Demons: What would happen if Liam had never met Trina, Jade, or the others at Hollywood Arts but, instead discovered each other in college? How would things have turned out? A lot darker, of course. (Alternate Universe)**

 **3\. Demons: Wolf in the Mist: What if I told you that Liam, Jade, and Tori were bonded by destiny? Take a trip to New Orleans in 1765 where they and their friends are taken to the Bayou of New Orleans where they discover just how far their lives are intertwined. (side story canon/tied in with elements from Assassin's Creed Liberation Freedom Cry)**

 **While the direct sequel is definitely getting done, I am rather interested in working on either "Hidden Demons" or "Wolves in the Mist" as a way to keep the story going while figuring out where I'm going with "Demons Awakened". In the meantime, I'll be storyboarding for all three until an official decision is made. "Wolves in the Mist", will not be a carbon copy of Assassins Creed: Liberation but will take place in either the same time frame or similar interactions. There will be mature subjects that will be on par with the level of content in this fic. In the meantime, I will continue to bring you this current fic until we've reached the end.**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 26:** **Soul's Lament**

 **"Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift. "**

 **-Mary Oliver**

* * *

For most, the nights in New Orleans were a time for celebration and enjoyment of the sights and sounds of the city. However, things were completely opposite on the other side of the river. While many people took part in the food and fun of Bourbon Street and other locales, two women walked down a dirt road that would lead them through the various trees that made the lands appear more ominous. The pair, a mother, and daughter trudged through the dark swamp lands with purpose as the former used a dimly lit lantern to guide the way.

"Mother," Lucille whispered while looking over her shoulder repeatedly. "Are you sure we're going the right way?"

Celeste didn't reply, much to her daughter's irritation. Instead, her multi-colored gems scoured the area, stopping occasionally to assure herself that things would be alright. Following close behind, Lucille found herself sticking to her mother like glue. Despite being a capable voodoo practitioner, she had never been in the bayou at night, especially not for a Coven meeting.

Onward they pressed, doing their best to ignore the warning sounds of the Gators off in the distance.

"Mother," Lucille placed a trembling hand into the woman's shoulder. "Are you certain we are heading the right way?"

"Indeed you are..."

Turning around both women would catch a lone figure that, judging by their deep Cajun accent, appeared to be male. Despite the dim lantern, both were able to catch the subtle smirk that stretched his lips, highlighted by the scruffy traces of a hair that lined up his jawline. While noticeably caught off guard, Lucille was the one who appeared to be the most annoyed by the lanky man's antics.

"What in the hell is your problem, Secousse **[1]**?!" she hissed at him. "You know I hate when you do that!"

"Sorry, dear." he backed away cautiously. "I couldn't resist."

"Do take care not to make a habit of that, Remy." the older woman huffed, though, not without a small grin settling on her lips. "You might wind up getting involved in something that's far beyond your control."

He tipped his hat to her, never relinquishing his smile. "Je t'entends, plus Vieux Celeste **[2]**. Now, I take it you two are heading for the Havre de Sorcières **[3]** , correct?" Making out their nods, he felt another chuckle tickle his throat. "Very well, allow me to escort you lovely ladies. The Bayou can be a dangerous place for beauties such as yourselves." he extended an arm out, bowing in the process.

"Save your flirtatious quips for some lost girl, Remy..." Lucille pushed past the male, rolling her eyes. "Just take us there and stop being so creepy."

Remy sighed but complied with her request, leading the way towards their destination. It only took a few more minutes along the path before they were trekking through the trees, seemingly lost at first, but, after a few more twists and turns, the trio was standing at the front gate. With them, a small handful of men and women stood amongst one another, each murmuring about their reason for meeting so abruptly.

Little did they know, the reasons had just arrived.

Celeste held her stomach as nerves began to get the better of her after overhearing the various questions. While many of her 'colleagues' were still pretty heavy in the voodoo world, she was one of the few who happily walked away from the dark arts in favor of a simpler life as a shop owner. Aside from the occasional ritual for spiritual protection or charm, she was pretty much out of the game. While it was easy to place the blame on her now awestruck daughter, she sensed the true reason for her being in this den of darkness.

"Cecilia..." her eyes cut to her sister, a smug grin on her face as she waltzed past with satisfaction.

"I'm glad you were able to answer my invitation, my dear sister." she mocked, just out of earshot from the others. "It would be a shame if the 'guest of honor' couldn't make it to her own party."

Hearing her words, the others soon turned to the four standing at the gate, eyes firmly locked on the uneasy mother and daughter. Remy, the only one out of the loop, raised an eyebrow. "What is she talking about, cher?" he whispered though, kept his gaze locked on the smug woman.

"Come inside, and find out." Cecilia chuckled darkly, sending a chill throughout the young man's body.

Then, with a snap of her fingers, the chain that kept things locked up tight, suddenly fell with ease. The gates then opened with an audible creak that only made things feel more like a stereotypical horror flick. Leading the way, Cecilia ushered the others to follow as they entered the hallowed entrance which was nothing more than a dark cave opening. Flocking inside, Remy stayed close to the two, curious about what could truly be going on that they were summoned to a place such as this.

His wondering was rewarded as they entered a large rustic room lit by what he assumed to be thousands of lit candles. "Welcome to the coven, dears. Take a seat, and we can begin."

"Coven?" he muttered, feeling that sense of discomfort rising up in him as Cecilia, clad in a navy satin dress that clung to her body like a second skin, took her place in the center of the large room. "More like a dungeon." Scratching his jaw, he took a seat next to the pair, thankful that she didn't hear him. Given his attitude towards her, he didn't want to cross the bokor either. Though she didn't look it, Cecilia was one of the strongest voodoo practitioners this side of the Bayou and he knew that he was no match for her skills in the dark arts. Judging by the concerned expression, he could pick up the mixture of anger and worry from Celeste and Lucille respectively.

"What is so important that you've summoned us here, Cecilia?" Everyone's attention turned towards a rather lanky man. Amber orbs, the perfect contrast to his dark bronze complexion, glared daggers at the cocky woman. While thin, his body gave off the impression of fitness under his shirt and tie. His voice, while heavy with an accent as well, gave away his Haitian nationality. "Whenever we're brought here by your 'request', it's never good for any of us involved."

Cecilia allowed her smirk to tug at her full lips, even more, amused at the man's threatening tone. "Relax, Mordecai," she scoffed playfully. "You always find a way to make thing so morbid."

"He makes a valid point," another voice, this time from an elderly woman who's hair mirrored that of snow. "You've never been known to bring about any good news whenever you have us come here." Given her hunch, she appeared to be no taller than five feet even as she stood from her seat. "You're notorious for being the bearer of bad news and if it is good, it tends to benefit you only. So what, pray tell, have you brought us here for now?"

Though clearly annoyed, borderline pissed, Cecilia somehow prevented her facial expression to give that away. Instead, she walked towards the middle of the room, only the sound of her high heels clicking on the stone floor gave them anything to work with until she lifted her hands, allowing a wave of blue energy to emit from her hands. The results of her action turned out to be the manifestation of a large Onyx throne that was decorated with sapphire jewels resting along the outer edges The wave of arrogance was enough to make a person sick as she sat down, crossing her legs, silently basking in her grasp on the room.

"While you've made a valid point, Kanna," her tone, while sweet as honey to the casual listener, was only a mask for the bitterness that coated her reluctant agreement. "I'd advise you to refrain from letting your personal feelings cloud your judgment," she then shot the darkest of looks at her senior. "or cause you to forget your place in this council." The elder glared back but complied with the implied request, taking her seat and grumbling something that remained unheard from the woman. Satisfied with the result, Cecilia's gaze softened once more as she addressed those in attendance. "Brothers and sisters, we are in the time of prophecy. The one designated as our savior has been found."

As she expected, Cecilia was surrounded by the various voices of her fellow bokor's murmurs. What did surprise her though was the individual that stood to his feet? His skin was the shade of burnt bronze and his dark brown hair was tied in a neat ponytail tucked under a top hat. His body, though slim, had the clear appearance of muscles in all of the right places on his young body, a case made even more clear under his pressed white dress shirt. His blue orbs burned with determination, his need for answers as obvious as daylight itself.

"Madame Cecilia," his tone was respectful but held enough strength to command some measure of authority. "What exactly are you saying?"

"Monsieur **[4]** Decoste, while you and Lucille weren't even around during this time, our livelihood was governed by several matriarchs known simply as the Voodoo Princesses with one Voodoo Queen as the undisputed power over them all." Switching her legs, she crossed them once more. "However, there was a prophecy that was placed generations before us all involving two, one from the north, and one from the south taking over as royalty." Taking in his silence Cecilia continued, much to the concern and intrigue of Celeste and Lucille respectively. "Nearly 20 years ago, this came to pass when a young woman met an immigrant from the nation of Brazil and, against the will of her family, married and begot a child that would destroy the entire foundation of the old ways."

This time, Lucille stood from her seat, her curiosity getting the better of her. "So what does that have to do with us now?"

"Well my dear, perhaps you've heard this before?" Her aunt then cleared her throat. "Ton Coeur est à Moi, Jeune âme. Sound familiar?"

Eyes shot open at the recitation of the phrase she mentioned a few nights prior to the young man she'd met, a deep blush burning through her cheeks. Lucille could only nod out of embarrassment. "Yes. It's a traditional love spell, correct?"

Unseen by the young woman was a jealous expression painting the face of Remy Decoste after hearing about her attempt at seducing some tourist again.

"Close," she teased, a single digit raised in the air. "It's actually a part of a ritual that triggers the dormant soul within the one who is the one mentioned."

The Haitian man clutched at his pants, his frown deepening by the minute. "So you're claiming that you've found the descendant of-!"

"Alexandre, the Maned Wolf of Bourbon Street." she finished with twisted glee. "He's here in New Orleans as we speak."

* * *

Beck, Liam, and Andre decided to camp out on the bus while the girls had the hotel room occupied. With Sikowitz out enjoying a rare and rather convenient coconut shop, the trio was content with one another's company so long as it didn't involve them having to participate in their 'fun and games' as Jade put it. Currently, Liam was sleeping on the makeshift bed, leaving the two able to discuss the recent revelation of Trina Vega.

"Beck, what are you so worried about?" Andre asked casually only to have his best friend clamp his hand over his mouth.

Shushing violently, Beck turned his attention to the back but, thankfully found that Liam was snoring softly. He released a sigh of relief that only further confused the aspiring musician. "Do you want to wake him up?!" he hissed.

An annoyed Andre removed the hand. "It's been years since you were involved with that guy. I'm sure even Trina's moved on from that, so why are you worried?" At that moment, things became clear to him as Beck's head drooped; the sounds of nothing only made the atmosphere feel heavier than it already was. "Do you really think that he'll hold that against you?" He tried his best to reassure the dejected boy. "After everything, you two have been through as friends, do you really think that he'll just drop your friendship? Not to mention, there's no guarantee she'll tell anybody either. Just relax, man."

The weight of his past only weighed him down even more.

"I don't know, man," he admitted. "I know I can't change the past but, I don't want to lose all of the growth I've made since then." his words came out in a broken tone. He turned his gaze, full of desperation and remorse. "What should I do, Dre?"

He found a palm placed on his shoulder, his only source of comfort at this point. "Maybe, you just own up to it if you cross that bridge. If you've truly changed as much as you say, that will overshadow your past."

The two remained where they were for a few minutes in silence as Beck took in Andre's advice. It wasn't every day that Andre gave out clear and concise words of wisdom, so when he did, it was best if you took it without question.

"Thanks, man," he smirked softly. "I knew I came to the right person about this."

"Anytime, Beck. Now, what are we going to do about the bump on a log?" he pointed a thumb at the still snoring Liam in the back. "I don't know about you, but, I'd prefer to do something besides chill in a bus all evening."

The duo chuckled amongst themselves before going to wake up the sleeping boy, who would go on mumbling something about cinnamon buns.

* * *

"Are you insane?!" the outraged voice of another elder roared at the scantily clad Cecilia. "You expect us to believe that you ascertained the identity of the one who could change the very foundation of our society?"

By this point, Cecilia's face gave off the impression that it would remain frozen in irritation at the dozenth time this question was asked.

"For the umpteenth time," she rubbed her temples, the sight of this amusing her sister, Celeste. "Yes! He's currently in New Orleans as we speak."

"Why would you tell us this, knowing what he possesses within him?" the unnamed man asked, skepticism lacing his words. "You, of all people wouldn't reveal information if it wasn't advantageous to you. If the boy is who you state he is, then he could very well contest your claim to the throne."

"While you're correct in how this revelation puts my hold as Voodoo Queen in a state of jeopardy, I felt that my rule would be even more in danger should it be discovered that I withheld this information for my own selfish purposes. At least this way, I have a 50/50 chance of retaining my position rather than a 100% chance of losing it for possible betrayal for my own selfish purposes."

Despite the collective uneasiness, no one could find a flaw in the woman's logic. While it still didn't make sense for her to do anything that didn't have some degree of benefit for herself, there was nothing about her story that seemed out of the ordinary either. The laws of their religion dictated that, unless considered a threat to everyone as a whole, she was allowed to keep information to herself as she sees fit. This realization was enough to cease the interrogation.

"If there are no more questions, I adjourn this meeting." Cecilia flashed a dazzling smile that served as a middle finger to any who opposed her this night. "Keep in mind that revealing any information without clearance by me first is strictly forbidden."

Bodies began to file out of the council hall, some full of excitement and others with concern as the reality began to settle among them. Remy and a worried Lucile soon followed suit, leaving only the two sisters remaining. Celeste stared through narrowed eyes as her sibling made the stone throne disappear back into the ground beneath her feet. Having been silent the entire meeting, both knew that there was plenty on her mind. Once the entire area was devoid of any other soul, the two finally engaged.

"You're proud of yourself, aren't you?" she spat.

"Oh Celeste, whatever do you mean?"

Pointing a finger at the woman, the more modest of the two bared her fangs. "We both know you do, diable **[5]**! You enjoy and, dare I say, get off on flexing your power. You've been that way since we were children."

Still feigning ignorance, Cecilia placed a hand on her ample bosom in mock hurt. This didn't last long as her lips tugged into a crooked smirk in a failing attempt at stifling the laugh tickling her throat.

"Fine, you're right, big sister." she then crossed her arms. "But, I'm not surprised; you were always the 'smart one' weren't you?"

"Is that what this is about?!" Celeste growled in disbelief. "You're still holding on to some petty grudge that had nothing to do with me?"

As if things could be any tenser between the two, both women felt their hands flare up, one with burning fire, the other with soul-shattering ice before unleashing their respective magic against one another. The room soon became the unwilling victim as anything within range became nothing more than lukewarm sludge from the two's conflicting powers. Rage and Bitterness eyed one another with unrelenting resolve even after their elements began to die down simultaneously.

"You're still the same spoiled brat," Celeste huffed, a clear indication of her age catching up to her. "you're still trying to prove that you're better than me just to validate yourself."

Cecilia's posture mirrored her sister's as drops of cold rain fell on her end. "And you're still that same old attention whore," she said with a cocky grin. "You always have to upstage me don't you, my dear sister."

"Look who's talking? I'm not the one who took the back door in order to become the voodoo queen, am I?" Striking a nerve, the two kin remained quiet for a moment. "You're dressed like that to get as much attention as you possibly can in hopes that it'll fill that hole of validation left behind by our parents! You didn't even show up to my special night because you weren't able to steal the spotlight."

Though it was a slip up that occurred out of the heated debate, it was a mistake that both knew would be regretted.

"You mean the wedding between you and Alexandre?" Feeling her heart stop for a second, Celeste then turned her head in hopes that nobody was around to hear. "Relax, I put up a soundproof barrier after everyone left. I'm not as cold and heartless as you think I am, though I have the potential to be."

"You really are the devil..." she hissed through gritted teeth.

"Only better looking."

Celeste, while relieved after hearing that nobody was able to hear their talk, remained on her guard; this was her sister after all.

"What are you really up to? We both know that you didn't dish out that information to benefit our way of life. You've always had an ace up your sleeve..."

She watched as Cecilia flipped her locked hair over her shoulder and straightened the now wrinkled dress. "Well, knowing that you married the last Voodoo King, it didn't take long for me to put the puzzle together and figure out that the boy you were spying on earlier resembles him in every way. That would mean that while Lucille thinks that he's a prime spiritual candidate for marriage, he is in fact..."

"Her brother..." Celeste finished, her tone as dry as the Sahara Desert.

"...and your son." Those words resonated strongly with the older sister, stealing away her voice in the process. This caused a wicked smile to rest on the younger woman's lips, happy at the small victory she was afforded. "He's the son you abandoned all of those years ago coming back to haunt you, which explains why you were so worried about Lucille's attachment to him. Their souls are intertwined through blood and you didn't want that to happen."

"I've heard enough." she stormed off, prepared to shatter the invisible barrier if necessary.

"But has your daughter?" she asked, once again stunning the woman. "I wonder what she'd think if your little secret were to be revealed?"

Emotions swirled around like a violent tornado uprooting the steel facade she once controlled. "What do you want from me, Cecilia?"

"It's quite simple really." she waltzed up behind her. "I want to win, fair and square. I want to finally beat you and prove my dominance over you by this revelation." Despite not seeing any expression, she sensed a rebuttal coming. "From what I picked up from a coconut loving teacher, they'll be here for another week before going home. I'm giving you until then to get him to accept his past and your place in his life. Should you succeed, I'll step down as queen. Should you lose, you'll not only lose this game but absolutely everything... just like the night you lost Alex..." she whispered the final sentence, making it far more cryptic.

"You're a monster..." Celeste's violet/emerald orbs began to tear up, the second crack in her emotional armor.

"Only better looking, sœur **[6]**." she chuckled sinisterly while breaking the barrier that afforded them their privacy. "May the spirits guide you."

Celeste watched helplessly as the woman sashayed down the long hall that led outside, an extra sway in her hips as she was left alone to ponder the 'challenge' left to her. She had a little less than seven days to not only convince a complete stranger of his true heritage but also to try and make up for nearly eighteen years of absence while having to keep everything a secret from her own daughter.

"Ancestors," she grieved softly, a single tear spilling from her eyes onto the cold hard ground. "I need you now more than ever..."

* * *

 **French/English**

 **[1] Secousse: Idiot.**

 **[2] Je t'entends plus Vieux Celeste: I hear you, Elder Celeste.**

 **[3] Havre de sorcières: Haven of Witches**

 **[4] Monsieur: Mister**

 **[5] D** **iable: Devil**

 **[6] S** **œur: sister**

* * *

 **Alright, so let's get the outro out of the way.**

 **Given the direction, I'm making this into either a four or six-part series that'll take place during the second week of the gang's vacation. I will be slipping multiple days just to move things along with the story. Yes, there will be supernatural elements that will, sort of, explain why Liam's life has been the way it has been. I also want to introduce the arc specific characters below:**

 **Remy Decoste: The male head of the Decoste Family. Is carefree and fun loving though exhibits some emotions for his childhood friend Lucille.**

 **Lucille: Daughter of Celeste and Niece of Cecilia. She is adept at voodoo and a natural at spells. Is attracted to Liam while not knowing that he is her little brother (there will not be any actual incest.)**

 **Celeste: Mother of Lucille & Liam and Older sister to the current head of the Coven, Cecilia. While maintaining a stoic demeanor, there are certain triggers that incite her emotions, preferably wrath.**

 **Cecilia: Younger sister of Celeste, and aunt to Lucille and Liam. She is the Voodoo Queen who has now issued a challenge to her older sibling in hopes of destroying everything.**

 **These are the four main characters that will be the center of the dark side of this arc while Liam and the others will represent a lighter side. The Original Character, Mercedes is actually a main character that will more than likely be kept after this arc concludes. Keep in mind that there will be one final arc after this one before this fic concludes and I get to work on the next installment. I've listed above three of the possibilities to work on for the Demon series and would love to hear your input on which you'd like to see next up. It's still ways off, but, I am storyboarding so that I have everything clear and ready to be put on paper.**

 **Lastly, I looked over some of the reviews and noticed that someone actually wants to see an endgame with Liam either going with Tori or Jade. While the idea has been floated around, I'm still on the fence about whether or not I want to rip one away or not. If I did, then I'm still not sure what the endgame would be. For now, they'll remain a polyamorous trio but I will have an endgame that I'll be storyboarding as well. In the end, I may just do multiple endings with the real ending being the final chapter of Demons Within.**

 **Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and be on the lookout for the next one coming soon, now that Thanksgiving is over.**


	32. Chapter 27

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 27: Light of the Son**

* * *

The next day, a pissed off Jade leaned against the railing to the balcony area outside of her room, wearing a simple black tank top and matching leggings. The source of her unsavory mood? Liam was once again missing, assuming that he left out early in the morning again. As the twilight bathed the horizon, the gothic girl savored the cool breeze as it was her way of calming her frustrations, both emotional and sexual. Since arriving in New Orleans, she rarely had time with her boyfriend aside from the occasional group outing or finding him asleep in the bed they shared. To top things off, she had purchased some rather intimate items that she had yet to show off for her two lovers.

Speaking of which, her mind instantly took her to Tori who, surprisingly was absent from their bed when she awoke. The feeling of emptiness sent a pang through her heart as Jade did her best to focus on other things besides the growing feeling of worry and doubt. Questions began to fill her head, serving only to hinder her meditative attempts rather than aid them.

The wind blew, carrying her dark strands with them as the pale girl stared into space when a click and a beeping sound caused her ear to twitch.

"So, you two finally re..." as she turned around, her azure orbs narrowed in both confusion and disdain. "Oh, it's just you."

The individuals in question were none other than Trina Vega and Mercedes, the latter looking none too eager to be around Jade.

"It's good to see you too, Jade." Trina feigned a sweet tone that only patronized her aggressor even more.

"What do you want, Vega?!" she snarled, loosing more and more of her patience with each passing second.

"I'd tread carefully, witch..." Mercedes finally spoke up, her scowl deepening.

Jade, not wanting to be baited into a fist fight with the clearly more experienced girl, scoffed. "I don't remember addressing you, Mazda..."

Her right eye twitching, the short-haired woman looked as if she would blow a gasket. "It's Mercedes!"

"Whatever, Bentley," Jade responded offhandedly before returning her glare at the older Vega sister. "Now, I believe I asked you a question, Trina. What are you doing here and how did you even get into my room for that matter?"

With tensions running high, Trina managed to keep enough distance between the two who had managed to close that gap within seconds of the conversation starting. Despite not particularly liking Jade herself, she did feel the need to respect her considering she was technically her little sister's lover. She turned around to her irate girlfriend, giving her a look that pleaded with her to leave to which Mercedes begrudgingly agreed to, though not without flashing a warning glare at Jade. Once the door shut behind her, both Jade and Trina now had the room to themselves.

"Now that Buick is gone," Jade chuckled when she heard the woman growl from the hallway. "I suggest you give me some answers before I have room service throw you out for trespassing."

"Cat let me borrow her room key while she, Andre and Beck went out last night." she cautiously flashed the identification card as proof of her word. "I was actually here to return it and see if my sister wanted to hang out, but it seems she's busy with him."

Normally, Jade would tune out the annoying girl turned young woman, but the way she mentioned Liam drew her interest.

"Him?" she raised an eyebrow, analyzing the incoming response carefully.

Trina rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, giving off an aura of discomfort. "Look, we both know who I'm talking about, so just drop it."

"I'll drop you if you don't speak up," Jade's eyes flashed dangerously, daring her to cross that line again.

"What's it to you?" she quipped defensively. "He's with you and my sister now,"

"So what? You're with Pontiac now." Even while maintaining her stoic appearance, Jade found amusement in mocking Trina's lover. "The way I see it, you've moved on, right? So I don't get what the problem is..."

Trina huffed at the implications being made against her by the goth who was now sitting at the foot of the plush bed. "You wouldn't understand, Jade."

"What's not to understand? Liam's moved on and so have you." Blue eyes cut deep into Trina's heart. "He's happy and you're still a bitch."

"What is your problem with me?!" she finally snapped, surprised at the amount of anger that poured out. "What did I ever do to you to make you hate me all of this time?!"

At this point, the two were polar opposites: calm vs erratic. While Jade didn't even so much as give off a speck of emotion, Trina was the complete opposite, a torrential downpour of clashing feelings. The air around them, once cool and tranquil, now carried with it a heated heaviness that threatened to smother the pair under it.

"I don't hate you, Vega." Jade cooly answered, much to the Latina's confusion. "If what you're asking is any indicator, you're not just talking about now, but, back when you were at Hollywood Arts as well, correct?" she left a long enough pause, being rewarded with a silent nod. "I never hated you back then. I didn't exactly like you, but you didn't do nearly enough to warrant my hatred then. You were annoying, lazy, vain, and egotistical all while doing the bare minimum. You acted as if the world owed you something when in reality, it doesn't."

The flames burning behind her eyes transitioned smoothly into a cold stare that froze Trina Vega where she stood. Neither spoke for a moment, that felt like an eternity until Jade cleared her throat.

"After hearing about your past, I can sympathize with you; making a mistake and having to pay the price with your body is nothing to poke fun of but, that's where my caring ends for you. You had all of the tools to be great but you chose to take the easy way out, as with everything you've been involved in. Instead of seeing your flaws and working on them, you covered them up and acted like they never existed which surprisingly is probably your best role ever." Her words clearly had an effect on the young woman, who didn't dare meet the icy stare that rooted her in place. "In the end, you took every back door you could to try and get out of your problems, whether it was blaming others for your shortcomings or ignoring the issues that kept you stagnant in school. Whether you were being pimped out or not, you had so many ways to get out if you'd just open your eyes. Your dad is a cop who could've investigated what was going on and possibly catch the sick bastard that was holding you hostage. You could've gotten a part-time job and earned back some of the money. In the end, though, I can still say that I didn't hate you. That is until" Trina looked up and regretted doing so when her honey brown eyes became locked in the demonic gaze of the gothic girl. "...You hurt him..."

Barely managing to summon the will to speak, she parted her lips. "J-Jade I..."

"You not only broke his heart, but you broke his spirit." her words slicing through whatever defenses were in place. "I know all about what went on between you two back then. From your first time meeting to the night you left, I know it all."

"How?" she whimpered.

"I was there, Trina. I was there for most of the things that occurred."

"Jade, you have to understand..."

"Understand this, Vega." Jade stood to her feet. "I can respect that you and Liam have a history; you never forget your first as they say, but, heed my words," By now, Jade was mere inches away from the quivering form of her lover's ex. "If you do anything to hurt him again, I will end you." Without another word, Jade brushed past her, nearly knocking her down as she made her exit. "Leave the keycard on the counter and get out. I don't the room reeking of self-pity and guilt."

Ignoring Mercedes, Jade West proceeded out of the hotel, her mind racing from the encounter. Was she in the wrong for unloading on Trina like she did or was every word justified? She contemplated that and more as she began to wander aimlessly down the street in hopes of clearing her head and finding one or both of her significant others, unknowingly passing by a young man who soon began to follow her, tipping his hat in the process.

"Seems we have an interesting player in this game." his smooth voice dancing in the wind as he made sure to blend in with the crowd.

* * *

Celeste looked disturbed as she made her way towards the botanical gardens as the afternoon sun baked her curvy form. Ever since the declaration made by her sister and current Voodoo Queen, Cecilia, she hadn't been able to achieve any form of peace, just barely missing its grasp by a fingertip. The gardens were, at least to her, a safe haven and a spiritual anchor in physical form. The sounds of the native birds that flew in from the open windows above to the waterfalls that rushed down near the rear section of the ground level, everything here was considered beneficial to her regaining some inner tranquility and, by extension, a clearer mind to formulate a plan of stopping her egocentric sibling.

"Damn you, Cecilia," she growled under her breath, thankful that nobody was around. "How many lives are you willing to destroy just to one-up me?"

She pressed on, entering a special below level cave that, upon first glance, could easily be missed. Stepping inside, the sounds of roaring water grew louder as she carefully traversed the steps further down. After a few minutes, she wound up in a temple like room adorned with a multitude of brightly colored gems that clung tightly to the walls and ceiling above. While none of these things surprised her, she'd been here many times after all, what caught her eye was the young man meditating near the base of the waterfall. The darkness of the underground room hid most of his notable features but, Celeste managed to make out the necessary ones. His hair, long thick locs were tied into a bun and his body, tight and muscular under the bit of light that made him visible to her. Finally, there was the one thing that set her heart aflutter in both excitement and worry:

That green aura.

If his physical features weren't enough to confirm his identity, that familiar hue of emerald green spiritual energy did so. It was difficult for Celeste to forget that feeling of being grounded in nature while dealing while many issues plague you couldn't go unrecognized by the woman. What was proving to be an even harder task would be the very thing she needed in order to get the ball rolling. How much of an issue was it to just walk to the young man and introduce herself to him? In truth, it felt like an insurmountable objective to her at the idea of talking to the boy.

What were the odds that she'd run into him this quickly?

"I'm sorry," a deep yet, gentle voice pulled her from the inner debate she was conducting, finding herself in his line of sight. "I didn't know anyone else was here."

"Oh no!" she smiled awkwardly while waving off the alleged offense. Feeling as if things could get weirder for her, she casually made her way towards him, opting to take a seat right next to the worried male. "I just arrived to meditate myself."

As he smiled at her response, Celeste couldn't help but notice just how handsome he truly was. His dark skin mixed with his emerald orbs left her no choice but to accept that he was, indeed, her offspring. While Lucille had matching duel colored eyes, his were the spitting image of the man she fell in love with, Alexandre.

"That's a relief." he chuckled. "I wasn't sure if I was a distraction or something when I noticed you near the exit."

"Not at all. You're just fine where you are, though," she sat down and took a long stare at the man-made waterfall. "would you mind sharing what brought you here?"

Taken aback, he scratched his chin thoughtfully. "It's actually pretty silly. I doubt you'd want to hear about it." he tried to laugh it off, but Celeste could tell that he was clearly filled with something that began to warp the shape and color of his aura.

"It's okay, son." she instantly cursed herself for the poor choice of words as he tensed just slightly. "My mistake, I didn't mean to offend you."

He turned his head, brandishing a forced smile. "It's okay miss..."

"I'm Celeste, dear." she extended a hand to which he shook graciously. "and you are?"

"Liam." at that moment, the warped aura began to slowly reform normally around him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Madame Celeste."

'A gentleman too, I see.' she mused inwardly. "I apologized if I disturbed you. I actually happen to have a way of sensing when things are out of the ordinary and it seemed that you were trying to push past something."

Liam studied the older woman for a moment as she explained herself. While a little uncomfortable with the sudden spotlight on him, he did notice the sincerity in her voice. "Are you another voodoo worshipper?" he cautiously asked, hoping not to anger the woman with his blunt question.

He watched as her lips curled into a soft grin, the woman gazing at the rushing torrent in front of them.

"I used to be, a long time ago..." her words sounding like the waters themselves, flowing until forced to stop. "Now I'm more of a spiritual advisor. I help others with issues like fending off evil spirits."

"You mean, like an exorcist?"

"Not quite. I actually sell items that force the spirits to leave or become bound to the spirit realm for eternity. I also pick up auras and assist in techniques of meditation and other cleansing methods. I haven't practiced full-on voodoo for over a decade now."

If possible, Celeste looked over to find Liam gazing at her with a hopeful light that wasn't previously there. It was enough to warm her heart seeing him responding positively to her. "Maybe you could help me then.."

"It's possible young man," she crossed her legs and closed her eyes allowing the energies of the universe to fill her with the courage to continue the conversation. "I can only help if you're willing to tell me what is on your mind."

Liam took a moment to ponder the request of his elder, his thoughts finally coming together in a less chaotic form. If Celeste could help him, he'd be well on his way to figuring out what he was dealing with and even go so far as to overcome it. While he contemplated what to talk about, his mind flooded with ideas and thoughts of his past with Trina, his current relationship with Tori & Jade, and even his sister.

"I sense that you're vexed," Celeste placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, hoping to console the troubled young man. "I sense the weight of your past has returned and is conflicting with your chakra flows. You're trying to move forward, but you feel chained to your past in more ways than one."

"You're pretty good at this." he gave her a soft smirk.

"Years of practice," she shot back with a gentle smile of her own. "Tell me, Liam, what do you know of your parents?"

"Not much, actually. I only remember living with my uncle and sister?"

Hearing this, Celeste raised an intrigued eyebrow. "Sister and uncle?"

He nodded. "My uncle Jericho and my sister, or rather my cousin, Ahrya..."

At that moment, terror filled the woman. She'd not heard that name in years and to find that HE had become the primary caretaker of Liam was more than enough to ignite a spark of rage that she struggled to suppress. "It seems that you've dealt with a great loss these last few years; no doubt, you've wondered about your mother and father, correct?"

Once again, she watched as he nodded slowly. His eyes were a battlefield, wrestling with feelings of abandonment, rejection, and despair now. It was clear now that the toll paid for her actions was done so by her own child. Those feelings of fury and vengeance soon turned into that of remorse and love. Here, she was supposed to get him to believe that she was his mother when she should be just that. Now wasn't the time for convincing, simply being was more appropriate at this moment.

"I don't understand," he stared at the ground, refusing to show the weakness behind his internal war. "I wish I knew what happened to her and my dad. I don't know anything about them or the kind of people they were. I have so many questions that'll never be answered."

In the midst of his lamentation, Liam felt something soft against his face while a hand rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm sure your parents love you," her words seemed to soothe him. "Wherever they are, I'm more than certain that they're proud of the young man you've grown to be."

As he pulled away slowly, Liam wiped away a stray tear from his eye. "How can you be so sure?"

Celeste stood to her feet, forcing herself to hold back the tears that fought to pour out. She wanted to tell him that 'his mother was standing before him', to comfort him with her presence and do nothing but shower him with the love that he so desperately craved; a love that she'd once thought impossible to give until the moment she began interacting with her long-lost son. However, like most things in her life, Celeste felt the grip of fear around her neck, silencing her attempt to just come out and stop her sister from whatever she was planning in the shadows.

"I'm a former bokor, I can sense spirits..." she smiled warmly at the now rising boy. "I can tell that your parents had a powerful bond that even death couldn't break."

Liam shoved his hands in his pockets, not completely satisfied with the answer but content with what little he'd been given. "I guess I can live with that," As he looked on, his eyes squinted at the older woman.

"Is something wrong?" she leaned away slightly, unsure of what he was staring at.

"Your eyes," he replied with a high degree of awe in his tone. "your eyes match mine but, they look like Ahrya's as well. I've only seen two people with that color in my life."

Speechless the former bokor, threw her hands up defensively. "It's actually quite common to find people here with two different eye colors." she lied. She was fortunate that he was more than willing to believe her.

"Well, I did see this one woman a little younger than you with the same eyes, so it would make sense. Unless" he was cut off by the sound of violent vibrations going off in his pocket. Reaching inside, he pulled out his phone showing two texts, one from Tori wondering about his whereabouts. The other was a warning text from Jade letting him know that he was going to make it up to her for ditching her in bed again. "I'm sorry, my friends are looking for me. I have so many more questions to ask, but I'm grateful for your kindness."

As if on instinct, he bowed and made his way towards the stairs that led out of the underground cavern only to turn around and wave at the woman. "Thank you again, Madame Celeste! I actually feel a lot better after talking with you."

"It's my pleasure," she waved back, smiling from the heart as the boy resumed his departure. "be careful, mon fils **[1]**."

After he disappeared, the feeling of hatred began to overwhelm her very being. Through their brief encounter, Celeste had begun to piece together the remnants of her past, a time that she had thought was erased for so long, suddenly return to her in powerful stride. For so much time, she asked herself how and why she'd let her child go without a fight. Fragments of memories, while coming together, still had blank gaps that remained missing but there were a few things that were connected enough for her to gather some source of realization.

A dark foggy night.

The faded image of the moon high in the sky.

Her beloved Alexandre, wounded and covered in blood.

A sleeping baby.

Two figures.

These things all felt so familiar and yet, created more mysteries within. Closing her eyes, she tried her best to focus on the last memory; the two mysterious figures that stood across from her and her family. The image was fuzzy and haunting, pushing her to quit but she refused to be conquered by the traumatic flashback. Fighting with every ounce of mental resistance, she managed to figure out the identity of one of the individuals. It was someone she knew all too well and it boiled her blood. With a demonic glare, Celeste found herself gritting her teeth, revealing the set of canines along the upper edges of her mouth, exactly the same as the boy she found to be her biological blessing.

"Have you figured it out, sister?" a feminine figure stepped out from the shadows behind her.

"Tu es un Monstre!" she roared, her voice rattling the cavern around them.

Despite this display of anger, the current Voodoo Queen remained unphased. "Did you enjoy your mother-son bonding?"

"I don't know what you did, Cecilia, but I'll kill you!" she stormed off, not wanting to give her sibling the chance to respond.

Surprisingly, the older sister managed to make it out without so much as a snarky remark, tears overflowing down her cheek. What was supposed to be a happy reunion had twisted into a bizarre case of 'who done it'. Not caring if anyone saw her pain, she wept silently all the way home.

* * *

Back in the cavern, Cecilia now wore a smug grin on her lips.

"You did a good job, love," she announced within the empty room as from under her heel clad feet, the sparkling gems shined enough light for someone to make out the visible form of a shadow stretching out. "Maybe next time we don't make our motions so obvious."

The shadow figure sported a wide grin that would give the Cheshire cat a run for his money, matching his all white pupils. "Apologies, my mistress. If I recall, you were always one for theatrics." its voice was hallowed and ghastly; like a whisper in the wind.

"Point taken," she bit her finger seductively, eyeing the dark entity as it continued to take shape. "You know me so well."

However, she observed at the grin literally flipped upside down before shifting its form to a more appealing sight. Dark brown skin combined with purple orbs replacing the white shells previously there. His torso was a thick build that was covered by a dark blue t-shirt along with some straight legged jeans. His head was completely shaven to complete the look. "Celeste poses a problem for you, my Queen. She's begun to recollect the memories of that night." His voice then shifted into a more human-like tone, deep and manly, just the way she liked it. "She must be eliminated before she gathers the remaining shards and stops you from achieving your ultimate dream and the crown."

Clearly worried, the humanized specter gazed at his mistress in confusion while she burst into laughter. Sensing this, she took a deep breath before letting her long nail tickle his bare jawline. "Do you really believe that I'd allow her to regain those memories without knowing?" her full lips grazed his own causing him to shiver in pleasure. "This all a part of my plan to destroy her. Back then, we took her husband, her throne, and soon, we'll take the last thing she holds precious."

"The boy..." he growled, eyes burning with rage. "I hope you let me break him."

This earned him a slap that stunned him in his tracks.

"You are not to touch him," she seethed. "He is the key to my undisputed control of the Bayou. You are allowed to monitor him but Do. Not. Harm. Him. Am I clear?"

Rubbing his face, he nodded in compliance. "Crystal."

"Good, now let's go." she planted a deep and lustful kiss on his lips before a small group of people entered the cavern, no doubt tourists. The thoughts running through her head, dark and sinister, brought a devilish grin on her face. "I'm hungry for some souls, and these fools will be a lovely appetizer."

* * *

 **French/English**

 **[1]** **mon fils: my son**

 **[2]** **Tu es un monstre: You monster!**

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading this chapter.**

 **I wanted to focus more on the darker side of what's going on while the gang is enjoying their vacation. While I did touch briefly on the tension around Beck and Trina, I won't be throwing that in just yet. I have a better time for that to be in use. In the meantime, everything seems to be going according to plan as Cecilia has her older sister racing against the clock to reconcile with Liam. To clear things up, let me just say that the initial belief was that Celeste gave Liam up for adoption but her memories may be revealing that somehow, that may not be the case.**

 **As we approach the next few chapters, please keep in mind that this fic is just the first of a series that I'm hoping to put out and I'm open to any and all feedback about what you'd like to see next. Below are three possibilities that I'm feeling the strongest pull towards working on. If you'd like these or something else to be written next, let me know in the reviews or through private message. I may be looking for characters to put into the sequel.**

 **The "Demons" Series**

 **1\. Demons Awakened:** **A direct (canon) sequel to Demons Within that will follow Liam after high school. (No spoilers)**

 **2\. Hidden Demons: What would happen if Liam had never met Trina, Jade, or the others at Hollywood Arts but, instead discovered each other in college? How would things have turned out? A lot darker, of course. (Alternate Universe/Sequel)**

 **3\. Demons: Wolf in the Mist: What if I told you that Liam, Jade, and Tori were bonded by destiny? Take a trip to New Orleans in 1765 where they and their friends are taken to the Bayou of New Orleans where they discover just how far their lives are intertwined. (side story canon)**

 **In the meantime, I am so thankful for all of the love and support I've received for Demons Within and I'll be back shortly with the next chapter.**


	33. Chapter 28

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 28: Broken Souls, Shattered Perceptions**

 ** _"Rummaging in our souls, we often dig up something that ought to have lain there unnoticed. "_**

 ** _― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina._**

* * *

The extremely day progressed rather slowly, the hot air forced the gang to head to the beach where they were enjoying the perfect setting for their vacation. It a couple of hours that only added on to their anticipation. By the time they arrived via Sikowitz's bus, the sun was still high but was clearly on the decline. For the next several hours the gang participated in various activities around the area until they were content with branching off to do their own things.

Andre was busy with Cat collecting seashells for the energetic redhead. Seeing the smaller girl become enchanted by the various colored shells only made the young musician smile even more. It seemed that this trip was just what they needed to take their relationship further both platonically and intimately. Beck spent the majority of his time either at the food stands or playing volleyball with some of the other female tourists as he didn't want to feel out of place with the other couples, unlike Sikowitz who didn't mind interrupting them while he traversed the lands for sunken treasure buried deep beneath them all.

Liam was currently being buried in sand by Tori and Jade, the latter of which having a laugh and a gas while poking him in his temple despite his protests. This soon turned into a true role reversal when the girls suddenly found that they hadn't used enough sand, leading to them being chased by the antagonized boy.

After a few minutes, and a bit of splitting up, it was none other than Jade who wound up being caught and tossed over Liam's shoulders. In a mix of laughter and terror, she kicked and screamed as her boyfriend trekked across the hot grains towards the cold water ahead. "Put me down! Put me down!" she yelled, beating her fists playfully against his back.

"Nope." he grinned defiantly. "You're going to get what's coming to you, my monster."

With only a few feet between Jade and her crisp destination, Liam felt an added amount of weight on his back and, while it wasn't too heavy, it did slow him down just a bit. To make matters worse, whoever was piggyback riding him was now playfully biting him which forced him to stumble and nearly drop them. Suspecting the person to be Tori, he pushed past the initial shock of pain, suddenly feeling the chilly liquid encompass his feet. He continued to ignore the two until he was in deep enough part of the ocean. Even then, Jade was still demanding that he put her down to which he happily obliged by flipping both girls over his shoulders. The dual impact of them crashing in the water brought a satisfied grin to his face at his successful vengeance.

The two soon came up from the depths, neither pleased with their boyfriend at the moment. They both brushed their hair out of their faces and glared at the laughing boy in front of them. It was at that moment each noticed his distracted guffawing that they each formulated the same plan, a fact that was confirmed when they both sported wicked grins of their own. Liam finally calmed down now and noticed that instead of the ladies yelling at him, they were quiet and that was never a good sign for him. Suddenly, he realized why they both looked like that: he was practically a floating duck, at least waist deep in the water.

He hightailed it back to the shore with Tori running after him. He didn't look back, a move that would only slow him down, but he could feel the presence of someone closing in behind him. Though normally a good thing, it served more as a disadvantage when a pair of hands wrapped around his ankles bringing him to a halt in the knee-deep area. Liam struggled to keep his balance but ultimately fell over when his favorite Latina tackled him to the beach floor. Try as he could, he found himself captured by his sweethearts, his arms folded and trapped behind him thanks to Tori sitting on them while Jade towered over his immobilized form.

"Looks like we've caught us a big one, Tori." she gloated.

"What should we do with him, Jade?" Liam gulped, hearing the uncharacteristic hedonistic tone of her voice.

Straining to look up at the ivory seductress, he noticed how the drops of water falling from her smooth skin only made her more appetizing. "Maybe let me go?"

She knelt down and ran a hand through his hair, reveling in the involuntary moan that passed his lips. "Maybe we mount you instead. I've been meaning to get in a few rounds with him at the hotel and I just bought a new toy at a local sex shop. "

Liam's eyes shot open at the obviously painful action being suggested and strained to give Tori a look of mercy only to find her mulling over the idea herself. This was not going to be good if they agreed on this. Sitting on top of him, Tori could feel the spike in his heart rate, triggering her good nature and sympathy.

"I think he's learned his lesson," she rolled her eyes playfully. "Besides, he was just reacting to us taunting him under the sand. I say we spare him the torment."

Jade then watched as her girlfriend leaned forward, kissing Liam's temple lightly before getting off of his back. "Fine, I guess you have a point." she crossed her arms, though amused with the overly exaggerated sigh of relief he let out. "Relax, we weren't going to go through with that, tiger. I like my men to have a choice in things being done to them." she then cupped his drenched face in her hands and leaned in for a peck on his lips.

By this point, the sun had begun disappearing behind the many buildings to which a disappointed Sikowitz, due to his only find being a bottle cap from the 1930's, signaled the group back to the bus in preparation of returning to their hotel. After loading up the vehicle, the students each took a spot in a seat or the beds, hoping to relax from the long day of fun.

Unaware of what awaited them upon their return.

* * *

After arriving back, Tori chose to spend some more quality time with her sister with the final days of their trip winding down. This left Jade and Liam to hang out and enjoy the nightlife together. After spending some time at a local French restaurant, Jade once again took the reigns and led her curious boyfriend into different locations that fit her dark personality. From a troupe of latex-clad street performers to a musical performer who specialized in acrobatics while singing, their experiences were truly memorable.

As the evening dragged on, the pair chose to make their way back, both hoping to get in some intimacy while everyone else was out when they turned a corner only to run into a hooded woman sitting at the end of the street behind a small table. Being the cautious one, Liam wanted to keep on their way but, it was no match for the curious mind of the goth who pulled him over to the ominous figure.

"Ah, it seems my fortune has changed." her haggard making her seem far from intimidating to the teens. "What brings you young people to my humble table? Looking for your fortune through the cards, or would you fancy a free palm reading?"

"Can't go wrong with free, right?" Jade asked rhetorically. She hunched her back while extending her hand to the woman who smiled under the hood concealing her face. "Hit me with your best shot, granny."

Ignoring the disrespectful name, the woman traced over Jade's palm, humming a tune that, while unknown to the pale girl, began to resonate something inside of her wary lover. To him, this sounded familiar, and yet, he didn't know himself from where, as a sudden feeling of peace and forced tranquility, almost like hypnosis flowed through his body. The woman finished her exploration of Jade's hand looking up at her and revealing her grey orbs.

"I sense a troubled past," she started. "I saw a castle that represents your inability to express your true emotions, dear. By some act of will or force, you hid your inner feelings behind a fortress in order to protect yourself along with a dragon that represents the fear you instilled in others as a means to prevent any and all from attempting to free them." Judging by the surprised look in the girl's eyes, the woman smiled warmly. "I then see a knight slaying said dragon, thus opening the gates for your true emotions to venture out. This knight not only freed them but cared and protect them, even to this day. I assume this young man has accomplished such a feat?" Jade nodded recognizing the second interpretation to be that of the present and that meant there was only one more to go and it actually made her nervous. "Relax, dear," she chuckled. "I actually see two futures where you achieve happiness."

"You do?" she raised a perfectly arched eyebrow before looking back at her boyfriend looking focused on what would come next.

Nodding the elderly lady pointed directly in the middle of her palm once more. She then pulled Jade gently so that anyone out of earshot couldn't hear her. "Certainly. Your future can go one of two ways that benefit you. The first sees you with this knight and another whom you've struggled with for years. Your days are filled with trials but they strengthen you all for the better. The other path runs parallel to that only the one you've wrestled with isn't in the picture, allowing you to claim the knight's heart without contest. Your path will be decided by the actions of you and those you're connected with."

She then released Jade who took a few steps back to ponder all that had been told to her. The old woman then turned her attention towards a concerned Liam, a gleam of interest flashing in her eyes. "Young man, please step forward. I sense something powerful in you."

Confused at first, he slowly approached the woman, looking back to Jade in hopes of some reassurance but found her still pondering the multiple paths of her future. "I I don't know," he chuckled, trying to hide how unsettled she made him. "I really don't do the whole fortune thing."

"Fear not, young king. You have nothing to worry about." motioning a hand for him to sit, he complied with a partially outstretched hand. "Just close your eyes and relax. The spirits don't bite." He followed her instructions failing to notice her eyes morph into a brighter tone, violet and emerald crystals replacing the formerly silver orbs. "I see a pleasant present where you're truly loved and happy. Your heart, while still healing, has accepted those who see it as a rare gem instead of a stepping stone. Your future is built on love and success should you continue this way, and while you may have some trials, you can overcome them with them by your side."

Hearing nothing but good things about his current life and upcoming future, Liam began to rest easy, a small smile forming on his lips. "Thank you," he whispered, though not without a tiny measure of disappointment that didn't go unnoticed by the mysterious figure. "I guess I'll have something to look forward to."

"Wait," she held up her wrinkled paw, halting his movements. "I sense there is something else you were looking for that, coincidentally, I haven't spoken of, your past.

This was the moment that Liam could've walked away; he had more than enough good news to last him a lifetime. Hearing that being with Jade & Tori was probably the right way for him, he didn't need anything else, let alone something that could be considered a wild card. His emotions began to swirl like a tornado inside of his gut, begging him to get up and leave the woman in their rearview but, his heart tugged at him to stay; to learn of anything that could link the chains of his past that continued to plague his soul.

"Tell me, please..." he cared little for the desperation in his voice. This was his biggest mistake, an act that the elder bokor could now exploit freely.

"What do you know of your parentage, young man?" her voice then sounded more sultry, enticing him further into her hypnotic snare.

* * *

Celeste sat in her study, trying her best to channel the whirlwind of emotions and fragmented memories that tormented her. Ever since watching her son leave and her encounter with the Voodoo Queen, she began to realize that things weren't all black and white, in regards to that fateful night.

The night that changed everything for her.

From what she did remember, she was next in line to be the Head of the Voodoo community, having been chosen over several candidates which included her sister. She remembered after that, meeting the man that began to change her life for the better, Alexandre Patenaude who would assume the final crown of Voodoo King. After that, every other memory was hazy, like a one thousand piece puzzle without all of the proper pieces. She only knew that they were married, being chosen as Queen, then a little about that night. Ever since arriving at the shop passed down to her daughter, she had barricaded herself in this room in hopes of finding a method that could unlock the hidden remnants that kept her in the dark.

It was all for naught however, she felt ready to pull her own hair out when a knock on her door spared her from such actions.

"I'm busy, Lucille." she groaned, rubbing the sides of her head gingerly in hopes of suppressing the steady pounding that threatened to grow stronger. "I'll be out eventually."

"Mother, you have a visitor who says they need to speak with you. He claims it's urgent." from the sound of things, there was something clearly off in her tone of voice. Celeste let out an audible sigh and stood to her feet inside the elegant quarter. She opened the door and followed the younger woman to the front of the shop, half expecting the aforementioned visitor to be her sister. "Child, what could be so important that it couldn't wait?"

The answer to her question stood to her feet in the form of none other than Liam, causing her heart to practically leap out of her chest. That would be until she noticed the sudden look of shock and... betrayal?

"You know me, don't you?" his voice was devoid of any emotion, further making her uncomfortable by his blank gaze.

She tilted her head slightly at the random question. "Why we met yesterday, young man." she tried to smile but failed when he slammed his fist against the counter, startling the three women.

"No!" like a beast, his roar echoed with authority. "You know me; before that day..."

Lucille, oblivious to what he was talking about, turned to her mother, Celeste who now looked as if she'd seen a ghost. "Mother?"

"Go in the back," she cut her eyes to the woman, not giving her a chance to protest. "Do not disobey me, child."

Everything inside of her told her to say something, but the terror/feral gaze from the woman put those ideas to pasture as she nodded and, after looking at the equally furious boy, took her leave. After disappearing behind the back door, her mother lifted her hands mouthing something that was kept just out of his line of hearing. From her hand, a small light rose from her palm shrouding the area around the two.

"Now, you may speak as no one else can hear us," she announced. "I've placed a soundproof barrier over us both so that our words remain between us unless you'd prefer we speak somewhere else?"

Liam, though slightly less feral in appearance, still held his glare towards the woman who stood opposite him. His head, filled with so many questions, matched the beat of his heart. Fueled by a cornucopia of feelings, he didn't know what to say at first. He was startled by the revelation Celeste, whom he'd just met 24 hours prior, might actually be the person he'd been hoping to meet after all of these years. With fists clenched, he fought to keep down the salty pearls that put up an equal struggle. The only clue for Celeste was the unnaturally green aura emitting from his eyes.

"That might be best, 'mom'."

* * *

 **Phew! Okay, to be fair, I didn't expect this chapter to end the way it did. I will also admit that I literally wrote this from off of the top of my head as I wasn't originally sure how I was going to link the last chapter to this one but, here it is. The next few chapters will further push things further to actions involving Liam and this prophecy. Speaking of the prophecy, there is quite a bit I feel that I must touch on before continuing on to the next chapter. Please note that these listed topics are expository and will be fully explained as we continue.**

 **The Prophecy**

 **Liam, who has the blood of both Celeste and the deceased Alexandre is technically the rightful heir to the throne of Voodoo King. His timing in being in New Orleans played in hand with a prophecy that states that he will play a role in either the preservation or destruction of the hierarchy of the voodoo community there. (More will be explained/revealed in the next chapters)**

 **The Accident/Celeste's Memory Loss**

 **Throughout the years after the incident, a grief-struck Celeste believed that she needed to spend the rest of her life raising her daughter, Lucille, as a way to cope with what happened. Until her daughter's discovery of Liam, along with her further investigation, she simply believed that she gave him away to give him a better future, away from the dangers of the voodoo community. This proves to not be the truth however when her estranged sister, Cecilia made an appearance after she was spying on her daughter. Now, she knows something else occurred but, without her full memories, she's unable to know what that is. How she lost her memories ties very closely to that night as she learned recently.**

 **Cecilia's Plan**

 **This was complicated, even for me at first, but, Cecilia's plan is a lot less complicated. As mentioned in previous chapters, she and Celeste were also rivals, with her older sibling getting the better of her throughout their lives. Fueled by jealousy, she studied harder and wound up finding out about the prophecy written generations before her, not knowing then what it meant. After losing out on the position of voodoo king, she dedicated herself to becoming the strongest bokor (voodoo practitioner) ever known. Her luck turned when she received word that Celeste declined the crown and by default, Cecilia was named Voodoo Queen, a title that she's continued to hold to this day. After running into Liam, she discovered his true identity and began formulating a plan to use his presence to her advantage.**

 **Part of her plan consisted of blackmailing her older sibling, despite the two not speaking outside of formal gatherings into this contest. While she claims she just wants to stick it to her sister and rub her failure in her face, it's clear that there is more to it than just some petty victory. One of the elders in the meeting the previous chapters labeled her as manipulative and an opportunist which lets us know that she knows more than what's been revealed so far. This concludes with her specific instructions for Lucille not to know about her and Liam being related. Why would she purposefully want to leave her own niece in the dark about something so important?**

 **I hope this gives you a little glimpse into what this arc is centering around, for the most part. There will be more revelations coming up in the next chapter so don't miss out. It will be dark, so you're getting a pre-disclaimer so be on the lookout for that in the coming days. I love and appreciate all of you who read and review this fiction. I'm still surprised at the milestones made by this story. As of today, it's technically the longest story I've written here, beating out the previous two longest fics 'Metal Gear Drama"[29 chapters], my first story on FanFiction, and Monster [19]. We've also hit the 3200 views mark and surpassed the words written mark set by the previous holder 'A Souls Requiem'.**

 **As always, I am grateful for your love and support!**

 **Goodnight, all.**


	34. Chapter 29

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 29: Ties of Shadows**

"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."

― Friedrich Nietzsche

* * *

Two souls, connected by blood, walked down a back street, the glow of the moonlight illuminating the peaceful path. It was the perfect contrast to the awkward pair that trekked along it as Liam and Celeste found it difficult to even look at one another. The latter of the two wasn't sure of what to say to the boy whom she learned was her long-lost son. For the former, he didn't know what to feel about all of this, but, of one thing he was certain, this woman was indeed his mother as per his suspicions. He knew that, despite her eyes having two different colors, one was the exact shade of his own. To most, this wouldn't be enough to confirm someone's identity yet, Liam was given his answer back at the shop.

"Where are we going?" he finally opened his mouth, not bothering to hide his annoyance with the long walk.

Celeste didn't miss the expression of emotion but chose to ignore it as she turned off into a clearing just a few feet away from the path. "We're here."

Looking around, Liam finally noticed his surroundings, marveling at the beautiful scenery before him. The many trees and plant life seemed to glow from the moonbeams that rained upon them. In the middle of the clearing, there was an unlit fire pit surrounded by logs. "Are we at a... campsite?" he cocked his head to the right, noticing a shelter nearby.

"Normally yes," she allowed a small smile to grace her lips. "however, it usually isn't used until the summertime. I thought that maybe it would be a good place for us to talk."

Remembering the reason they were even here, Liam's gaze hardened once more along with his arms crossing over his admittedly solid chest. "Alright then, let's talk. Who are you really, mother?"

Celeste understood his feelings; who wouldn't be this way after spending your entire life wondering about your parent's identities. Averting her eyes towards the dimly lit gravel beneath her, she took in a deep breath, hoping to control the shame that tried to shut her down. "My name is Celeste Aurora Patenaude. As I answered before, I am your mother..."

"How do I know you're not just saying this to mess with me?" he scoffed nonchalantly, sparking something inside of the woman.

"If I recall, you barged into my shop calling me that, you brat!"

"Says the old hag!"

"OLD HAG?!" Guilt turned into uncontrollable anger when Liam noticed something glowing a bright orange-red color. The sudden look of terror on his face, coupled with him tripping over his feet caught Celeste's attention, resulting in her finally noticing the embers dancing around her clenched fists. "I, I'm sorry..." she bowed her head as the flames slowly extinguished.

"Your hands..." he pointed a finger, his body shivering after what he saw. "T- They were on fire!"

"I'm well aware." she deadpanned. "After forty+ years of training, you get used to it. I apologize for scaring you."

Liam picked himself up, dusting himself off in the process. "I wasn't scared," he huffed out of embarrassment.

"Sure you weren't." the older woman smirked smugly at the boy. "You could've fooled me, Alexandre!"

Celeste's eyes widened in shock at how easily the name of her beloved rolled off her tongue, but, it was the expression from Liam that really settled things.

"How do you know my middle name?" his whisper came out as if he was staring at a ghost. "Only one person has ever called me by that name..."

The atmosphere around the two became calm and welcoming for the first time since meeting the day before. Gone was the fear behind Liam, replaced with wonder and a case of realization. He watched as the woman's eyes lit up in a way that reminded him of Cat, warm and innocent. Try as he might, he couldn't sense any ulterior motives from her.

"Because I gave you that name," she smiled confidently with tears cascading down her ebony cheek. "the name of your father."

* * *

Back inside of the shop, a confused and dejected Lucille stood over the glass counter, a large book of herbal rituals the only thing that kept her company. After waiting for nearly an hour for her mother to return, she peeked out from the back area to find that neither her nor Liam were present. With nothing else to do, she chose to occupy her time by cleaning up and tending to the place in her mother's absence, though her mind was clearly on other things. Thankfully, aside from the occasional wanderer or two, she had plenty of time to let her mind focus on the young man that she'd deemed to be her "forbidden lover"; that poor soul who couldn't be hers due to him being with another while his heart belonged to her.

Images of the two sneaking around on dates under the cover night filled her mind, bringing with it a subtle grin that sent her heart aflutter.

Where is he?!" Jade stormed into the shop, pulling her from her glorious thoughts.

"Oh, goodie," she groaned, shutting the book in the process. "speak of the devil..."

"Save it, jugs!" the ivory skinned girl yelled at the woman who rolled her eyes in response. "Where is our boyfriend, harlot?!"

Cutting her eyes, Lucille casually shrugged. "When did it become my job to watch over your lover? Perhaps he's off enjoying some more pleasant company?"

"I don't have time for this!" Jade huffed. "If you're not going to help then I'm out of here."

Turning around, Jade picked up the faint sounds of the darker woman scoffing but chose to ignore it as her goal was much more important than continuing the game of pettiness. "Good riddance," Lucille opened the book once more, hearing the bell above the door jingle, letting her know that her uninvited guest was leaving. "Who'd want a monster like her anyway?"

"What was that?" She looked up to see Jade still standing in the open doorway, her fingers wrapped dangerously tight around the wooden frame. "What did you just call me?"

Alarmed, Lucille felt a deep resentment radiating from the girl, settling on approaching things with extreme caution. "You heard me clearly."

Gritting her teeth, Jade nearly exploded only to find herself unable to maintain the anger that drove her to her destination, a fact that even Lucille noticed. Despite her own desire to maim the duel eyed lady, she knew her heart wasn't in it. Normally, she would've grabbed one of her hidden pairs of scissors and carved something into her body or sliced up her clothes as a warning but now, despite provocation, Jade West felt her arms drop to her side, limp from her true feelings.

"Only he can call me that..." she whispered. "That's his special name for me."

Lucille raised an eyebrow, confusion written across her face. "What are you going on about?"

To her shock, Jade was giggling and that only served to make the shopkeeper even more worried. "You wouldn't understand," she heard Jade answer her unasked question. "Liam and I have this connection where that word doesn't bother me anymore. In fact, it's probably the greatest compliment I've ever received from anyone."

"How could being called a monster be considered a good thing?"

Azure orbs rested on Lucille followed by a soft smile. "Because I'm his monster. That means that despite my issues, my past, my insecurities, and even my at my worst moments, he still claims me with love and adoration. My Liam doesn't want to change who I am, only heal the wounds left by those who've hurt me, including myself." A deep burning sense of determination began to flow out, replacing any negative emotions that were once seeping from her. "So go ahead, call me a monster, or maybe you'd prefer demon instead. In the end, I'm his and he's mine. Anything else is irrelevant."

Unlike her mother, Lucille wasn't able to see auras but could feel emotional shifts in specific people and right now, there was nothing that even remotely came close to a monster around the goth. Instead, she felt this strong gust of force that, if not controlled, could knock down mountains. There was more to this girl than what met the eye, and that was all she needed in order to finally respect the girl.

"I apologize," her gaze softened dramatically. "I was out of line. I shouldn't have said the things I did."

Now it was Jade's turn to look at her cautiously yet, she too assumed a position that showed her defenses breaking. "Well, I did barge in here like a bull so, I can't blame you for how you reacted." She crossed her arms and averted her eyes towards the marble floor. "I'm sorry for that."

Despite the sincerity of both women, the air grew more unpleasant prompting Lucille to speak up.

"You were looking for your lover, right?" she awkwardly asked, barely able to hold down the bitter taste in her mouth while Jade blushed profusely at her choice of wording. "They left about maybe an hour ago. If I had to take a guess, I'd say he left with my mother to the wolf's creek near the bayou. It's her favorite place to relax and the two seemed tense when he arrived. Is something wrong?"

After hearing her, Jade's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "He could be in danger..."

The cryptic sentence sent an unsavory chill down Lucille's spine. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, we ran into some old hag who read our palms over on Bourbon Street." she frantically cried. "After giving us our free fortunes, I watched Liam begin to wander off as if in a trance but, I couldn't follow him."

Running her hands through her locs, Lucille, bit her lip while trying her best to process what was being told to her. "What do you mean you 'couldn't follow him'?"

"I tried to follow him but, my body felt like it was being weighed down underwater. In my mind, I was calling out to him but nothing was actually happening then black." she flung her arms around a bit to emphasize her point, only it made her look a bit crazy to the poor woman. "When I came to, I was back in my hotel room then, I rushed here as it was the only place I could think of. Admittedly, I thought maybe he came by here..."

After explaining herself, Jade finally inhaled, not realizing how sweet oxygen was up until that point. She was met with a look of pure concern from the darker lady...

"We need to get to Wolf's Creek. I think something's terribly wrong..."

The duo rushed out of the shop, Lucille locking the door behind herself, and made a mad dash through the street of New Orleans. While both were equally worried about their respective loved one, it was the older woman who was haunted by the sudden reality of the situation thought to occur. From the meeting of Liam to the impromptu meeting the week prior, she had been trying to understand what was going on. She remembered her mother acting completely off as if There was only one thing that she knew had both relevancy and consistency to the events that have unfolded thus far.

'Aunt Cecilia...'

* * *

Liam stared at Celeste, his heart rapidly beating as he stared silently at the woman he was growing to accept as his mother. Her warm smile was welcoming and her eyes hid no truth from him. His mind and heart conflicted, he began to tremble slightly. Celeste looked at him, adoring how the moon rays bounced off of his eyes, his own wet crystals falling to the ground in the process. She knew what this meant, he was having THE moment; that moment in everyone's life where they had to make a choice whether to accept a soul-altering truth or continue to repress it, possibly forever.

His lips quivered, as his voice hitched in his throat; what could he possibly say at this point? For years, he'd grown up without knowing his parents. From his first words to his current relationship, he pretty much raised himself and Ahrya. As a boy, he dreamed of what it would be like to finally meet the woman and man responsible for his birth, but he never thought it would be a reality. Now, here he stood a mere foot away from his mother, her features practically identical to his own. Could it be? Was it really that easy?

"M-mom?" his voice, broken, was all Celeste needed to know which path he had chosen. Her smile only grew as did her arms, now outstretched to him. Without hesitation, he rushed her, capturing her in the biggest hug ever given by him. "You're here... you're real." he chanted the mantra as if he was still in one of his childhood dreams. "This isn't a trick?"

"No trick," she whispered gently. "I'm here, my son." Her left hand rested on his strong back, rubbing it as he cried into her bosom. His hot tears telling her more of the pain endured than his words ever could. "We found each other." she kissed the top of his head, fighting back more of her own drops of pain from spilling out. "I don't know how, but it's finally happened."

"I may be able to answer that." a mysterious voice echoed through the bayou followed by a weird fog.

Instinctively, both Liam and Celeste pulled away, the former taking a defensive stance. If memory served him well enough, he knew that ominous voices were never good. "Come out!" he demanded.

On cue, a feminine figure began to appear from the mist, the sounds of heels catching the reunited mother and son's ears. "Is that anyway for you to be talking to family, dear Liam?"

Blinking repeatedly, he shook his head in disbelief. "Wait, I know that voice."

"So do I..." Celeste ignited her hands once more, fueled by fury and rage. "What are you doing here, Cecilia?"

The woman's identity exposed, she stepped out from the shrouding clouds with a satisfied smirk. "I came to see just how things were progressing with you two. You know, I just adore happy endings."

"Hmph..."

"You're the lady I met when I first got here..." A now nervous Liam pointed out. "But, why do you look just like,"

"She hasn't told you yet, has she?" Cecilia, cut in. "Or is it that she just wanted to omit the 'stain' of your family tree?"

"Manipulative witch." she grit her teeth, prepared to launch her flames if needed.

"Sticks and stones, dear sister." the younger sibling made no further motion, stopping just a few feet away from the two. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Cecilia, the Voodoo Queen of the Bayou," she bowed, revealed her cleavage from her low cut dress. "And Celeste's sister."

Her low sultry tone froze him in place. "Sister?"

"Celeste doesn't talk about me much anymore," she pouted. "Guess that's what happens when you're the black sheep of the family isn't it?"

"Chienne **[1]**!" Liam watched as his mother launched several balls of fire from her hands. Sensing this was going to happen, Cecilia sidestepped the attacks, avoiding each one with expert precision. "You stay away from him, you demon!"

Before anyone else could react, Liam would find himself being restrained by something cold and sinister winding around his body. Slowly dark tendrils wrapped around his limbs and neck, squeezing just tight enough to discourage any attempt at resistance. True to his nature, he did struggle as hard as he could but instantly realized the futility of his actions.

With horror in her eyes, Celeste cried out. "Let him go! Please!?"

"That's enough, love." the voodoo queen raised a hand to which the dark figure slowly morphed into a human-like figure. "Don't get too carried away. He's still needed after all."

"Cecilia, don't do this! Let him go!" her voice sounded like glass being dragged down her windpipe as she slowly extinguished the heated energy from her palms. "You're quarrel is with me, not him!"

Looking at Celeste, she noticed something that hadn't been witnessed in years. Defeat. She made no command, gave no order for her to drop her guard and yet, here she was surrendering without hesitation. "You're pathetic, big sister." she mocked before flexing her own powers. From her hand, shards of ice flew out and around the form of the woman slightly older than her who did her best to shield herself from them. However, instead of impaling her, she saw that they were scattered around her in the shape of a square.

"Prison de glace. **[2]** " In seconds, the shards began to glow around Celeste, who could feel the cold embrace of the element creeping up her body, stopping at her neck. "Just in case you had any bright ideas in that head of yours."

"You rotten little." she glared fiercely at the woman she shared a bloodline with.

"Careful, we wouldn't want your child to have to suffer for your sins, would we?" As expected, the vindictive woman watched as her encased sister ceased her struggling, though her scowl remained. "Very good."

"Why are you doing this?" she turned her attention back to the grunting boy, his face a mix of rage and concern.

For the first time, her lips fell as she slowly approached her long-lost relative, watching how fearful he grew with each passing moment. Amidst his struggling, she exhibited great care and gentleness when she cupped his face in her hand. "My dear neveu **[3]** ," behind her eyes he could see something that was lacking from her; what that was he did not know. "I'm just trying to-."

"Don't believe her!" both turned their attention to captured Celeste. "She's nothing more than a liar looking to manipulate you towards her own- MPHH!"

Her warning went incomplete as a thin sheet of ice suddenly formed over her mouth, effectively silencing her.

"Mom!" he struggled once more which only resulted in the tendrils tightening around his neck, restricting his airflow even more.

"Be gentle, love." Cecilia glared at the dark figure, her purple iris glowing dangerously at it. "Remember..."

"Yes, my queen."

Sweet oxygen began to flow a bit easier for Liam as the shadow's grip loosened just enough for him to breathe clearly. He watched helplessly at his mother's plight, hating himself for not being able to do anything but squirm under this creature's grasp. "Please, don't hurt her..." he begged only to witness Cecilia flash him a look of pure confusion.

"Do you really think me a savage?" she asked honestly. "I have no desire to harm my sister. It's just her mouth has a bad habit of getting her in trouble now and then." on cue, the muffled groans and curses could be heard from Celeste. Leaning closer to the boy, she smiled gently, reminiscent of the day they happened to meet. "I can feel your fear," her hand rested against his shivering cheek. "All I ask is that you come with me and I'll release her. No tricks, no lies, just a deal..."

Liam's eyes cut to his mother, who, given her predicament, did her best to shake her head no. His mind was a cavalcade of ways to escape, but none did him or Celeste any good in the long run. Normally, he had the advantage when his back was against the wall. However, this time was completely different as he had nothing that would give him the upper hand without costing him the woman who birthed him. Her duel colored eyes were practically pleading with him to resist and decline the 'offer' but, his decision would come down to a single word.

"Promise?"

"You dare question perfection, brat?!" the shadow figure roared only to be silenced by the woman he worshipped.

"If you promise to come quietly, then you have my word." Cecilia took note of the honesty in the young man's eyes. "I will not harm her."

Taking another look, Liam nodded without hesitation. "I'll go..."

"Excellent." she grinned slyly. She then snapped her fingers, signaling the dark form to release him while extending her hand in the opposite direction.

Liam, wondering what was going to happen, found himself shielding his eyes as a gust of wind hit his body, making him stumble just a bit backward. What he witnessed next only made his heart drop, even more, peering at a portal of blackness, a symbol of hope abandoned. Celeste, seeing her son's gradually building reluctance, tried her hardest to break free from her frigid encasement but knew she couldn't get free in enough time to prevent them from departing. Tears stung her eyes as did Liam's before the latter was pushed towards the doorway to the unknown destination.

"Time to go..." the shadow hissed once more, irritation dripping with drops of venom from its lips.

The moment of truth came, Liam knew this as he exchanged one more glance to his mother. Instead of sadness, he smiled confidently, or as much as he could muster, before walking through without so much as a final word. Cecilia stood triumphant, grinning sickeningly at the defeated woman.

"It seems I've finally won, Celeste." she chuckled. "Contrary to what you may think, I intend to keep my promise and not lay a finger on you. Unfortunately, I didn't say anything about someone else doing it." Terror filled eyes locked on to the wicked delight sparking the other soul gates before the Voodoo Queen began to make her way through the portal herself though not before sparing one final wink at her sibling. "Your mission is officially over, my dear sister. Checkmate."

Both she and the shadow figure watched as she nodded towards the latter and then, she too was gone.

"It's about time," it once again sported his Cheshire grin while stalking towards the defenseless bokor. "I haven't spilled any blood since returning here. If possible, the creature would've licked its chops at the prospect of murdering and devouring Celeste. "You'll be the perfect meal." Inch by inch it drew closer to her, bloodlust and insatiable hunger clear as day in its lifeless pools of white. Like a predator, it opened its mouth to reveal multiple rows of jagged teeth and with no ability to speak, let alone scream, she could only whimper in despair at the fate destined for her as she shut her eyes tightly, hoping for the end to be as swift as possible.

If she had any regrets, it was that she never told Liam how much she loved him.

In light of that thought, Celeste would find her ears invaded by a horrid shriek erupting from the shade, the sounds of pure pain erupting from the monster before her. "Think again, demon." A familiar voice forced her to open her eyes only to welcome a sight that she never thought possible.

"Who dares interrupt my meal?" it called out in pure rage.

Behind it stood a young woman with skin and eyes mirroring its potential source of food. Standing next to her was a much younger girl whom he assumed to be a teenager with skin that perfectly contrasted the first woman. "It seems you've brought me a snack."

'Lucille?' Celeste couldn't believe her eyes.

"Just what the hell is that thing, Lucille?" Jade finally broke the tense silence, pointing at the creature.

"It's dead," she answered immediately, not taking her eyes from it. "Get away from my mother, or else."

"Or else what, little girl?" it taunted, flaring four tendrils from its back, unnerving Jade further. "Are you going to stop me?"

"No," Lucille scrunched up her face. "I'm going to destroy you."

No longer amused, the shade dropped down on all fours, stalking around the two with dark tails whipping roundabout. "Dinner and a show? Must be my lucky day!" it then launched off of its legs with blinding speeds. Unlike Lucille, Jade had little to no spiritual knowledge save for a random book or two purchased throughout her life. Instinctively, she wanted to run but resisted the urge when Lucille didn't even budge while the demonic entity charged at them.

"Bouclier des mages **[4]** ," she casually recited.

Within seconds, both were surrounded by an invisible force field that proved to be tough enough as evident when the shade crashed into it with a disturbing thud. A few more seconds passed before their enemy shuddered on the ground from the magical field. pupil-less eyes narrowed, filled with unadulterated hatred for the crafty woman before him as it retreated a bit.

"Pretty good, if not annoying." it hissed, clearly pissed at being made a fool of by the woman's defense. "However, I think we both know that you're practically a sitting duck while inside of that field. Which means," it turned its head back to the still trapped Celeste, practically salivating over itself. "My meal can go uninterrupted." The figure reassumed a human stance, walking to the silent captive with sickening glee and, as much as Lucille hated to admit it, it was truly a game of who would be exposed; at least in its mind.

"Think again," without hesitation she dropped the spell resulting in the shade twisting its body around to charge once more. "Chaînes du chaos **[5]**!"

The creature was blinded by its unsated appetite, it was the only logical reason for why it was caught off guard. True to this new spell, a series of chains rained down from her chest, weaving around the demonic entity until its form was effectively shackled and dragged to the ground. For added measure, as it struggled, it felt several sharp spikes piercing it all over. Jade watched in awe and horror at the dark liquid oozing from it splattered along the earth below. Even more shocking was how the figure suddenly began to form into an actual human being. Dark energy soon turned into mocha chocolate complexion. White orbs slowly transitioned into amethyst crystals.

"Did you beat him?" she asked, ignoring the hesitant tone that escaped. "Did you win?"

"He's not getting free anytime soon," Lucille smiled softly. "Those chains feed off of negative energy, draining the host of their strength. It's a spell most learn at a young age."

"Yeah, well... let's not get a swelled head." Jade admonished, though with a hint of playfulness in her voice. "Now about your mom."

The two then turned their attention from their downed opponent to Celeste. Rushing over to her, Lucille closed her eyes and began chanting something until her hands started to glow a pure white color. Soon, the ice began to melt from around the woman's body until she was once again able to move under her own power, removing the glacier from around her lips herself. Now free, the mother and daughter shared a warm embrace, a fact that the former relished in more ways than one.

"Thank you, my child."

Jade couldn't help but smile at the reunion but soon turned her focus back on the restrained foe who was laughing darkly.

"Such a touching moment," he mocked, despite the pain of the spikes lodged in his body. "It's a shame that it will be short-lived."

"Quiet! You've done enough, serpent."

"Is that any way to talk to your family, ma fille précieuse **[6]**?" the male figure chuckled, his voice haggard from his weakened state.

"Fille?" Lucille's expression hardened. "Like I would ever be related to a monster like you!"

Despite her protest, the bound man only seemed to laugh even harder and louder. "It seems to me that there are some things Celeste preferred to keep a secret."

Now angered, Lucille stretched out her arm, forcing the bonds to push him further into the gravel, though it did little quell his cackling. "Shut up!"

"Lucille!" The sound of her mother's voice stopped the emotionally riled woman in her tracks. Her eyes, large with fury and disgust for the hellish being before her now stared at the only source of solace she'd ever known. "Just stay calm, child."

"But, he-!"

"Do not act," Celeste demanded. "You're better than this."

"Why are you protecting that demon?! He just tried to kill you!"

"Big talk coming from the product of said 'demon'." A vein popped out of her neck as her intent to kill only grew stronger. Unfortunately, before having a chance to act on that intent, Lucille found that impossible as the male suddenly begin to fade away into nothingness. "Farewell, my child." it's wicked chuckle echoed into the night.

The three women watched the sky for what felt like ages until Lucille's growl broke the silence. "Why did you stop me?" her voice barely higher than a whisper.

"Lucille, you must understand..."

"NO! You let him get away!" she snapped, stunning even Jade, who'd been silent all of this time. "How can you justify that?!"

Hearing the hurt in her daughter's voice, Celeste shook her head, refusing to answer the question, instead choosing to make her way past the two young women. "We have more important things to deal with..."

"That's not good enough, mother." Lucille stood in the way, blocking her path. "You owe me an explanation for what that thing said."

"I owe you nothing, girl!" Jade couldn't help but wince at the harshness behind the elder's words, no doubt feeling some form of empathy for the distraught girl. "There's a life on the line and you're concerned with the petty words of a shade?!"

Glossy eyes stared in disbelief as the person she thought would understand her was completely disregarding her. "Petty? Is that what you think of my problems?"

Celeste's nose crinkled in frustration, knowing that her sister's plot was coming closer to fruition but, even she knew when something needed to be addressed.

"Lucille, you know your problems matter to me. You are more important to me than you'd think." she comforted, hoping to make things right between them. "For years, I've sheltered you in hopes of protecting you when I should've allowed your spirit to be free. I'm sorry if I've made you feel like your feelings weren't relevant then and now. I only did what I thought what was best when I have to accept that you're old enough to determine that on your own."

"I understand, mère **[7]** ," she responded with a lopsided grin. "I just need you to trust that I'm able to handle whatever comes my way. But it doesn't mean that I won't need your support anymore." Nodding, Celeste just simply smiled, admiring how grown up the apple of her eye had become. "The question now is, can you trust me?"

In her heart, Celeste wanted to withhold the truth, yet she nodded again. "Yes, child. You deserve to know the truth, no matter how dark it may be."

"Mother,"

"No time for doubt," she hushed her daughter. "That creature isn't a pure shade but, in fact, a human as you both saw. He claimed the powers of one after performing a forbidden ritual that involved selling his soul to the devil himself. After doing so, he..." Celeste bit her lip, averting her gaze from the younger duo. "He snuck into my bedroom and took me for his own, prior to my wedding to Alexandre."

A shocked Lucille covered her mouth, but it was Jade who gasped. "He raped you?"

"Yes, dear," she responded coldly, yet, it was clear that it wasn't directed towards her. "he was jealous that I was to be married so he decided to take what was intended for my beloved."

Lucille remained quiet, putting the pieces of the puzzle together when it hit her.

The creature's claims of parentage.

It's lust-like reaction towards her mother.

Her mother's recollection.

These things all made sense.

"He's my father?" she whispered, a hollow tone to her words. "I'm the product of that... that animal?"

"You were conceived by lust, but you were raised on love. You have to choose what side will dictate your path in life. It's yours to make, Lucille."

As she contemplated her decision, Celeste approached the gothic girl. "It seems you weren't brought here by accident. What purpose do you have for coming along with my daughter?"

Jade swallowed hard then steeled her resolve. "I was told that my Liam was here."

Eyebrows raised, the older lady smiled in amusement. "It seems something special guides you. Something mirroring myself when I was much younger."

A muscle in Jade's jaw twitched followed by the scarlet heat that painted her ivory cheeks. "I don't know what you mean..." she giggled uncharacteristically.

"Don't be shy, young one," she laughed herself. "I haven't seen a love like yours in a very long time and it will not be in vain."

"What are you talking about?" Lucille finally spoke up.

Duel colored eyes narrowed and Celeste's face grew more serious, pointing at Jade's heart.

"We're going to rescue he who means the world to us."

* * *

 **English to French**

 **[1] Chienne: Bitch**

 **[2]** **Prison de glace: Ice Prison**

 **[3] Neveu: Nephew**

 **[4]** **Bouclier des mages: Shield of the Magi**

 **[5]** **Chaînes du chaos: Chains of Chaos**

 **[6]** **ma fille précieuse: my precious daughter**

 **[7]** **mère: mother**

* * *

 **Wow this was a long one to write and I apologize for the delay. Keep in mind that this arc is coming to an end, with probably one or two more chapters to go. There will be more interactions with Remy coming up as well. Things will come to a head for Liam and the others involved. Addressing a certain issue, Tori's time is currently spent with her sister, catching up and reconciling. The results of these backstage interactions will be exhibited in the next arc. So, for anyone wondering about TorixLiam, there will be plenty coming up.**

 **Next, I realized that I never gave a specific age for either Lucille, Celeste, or Cecilia. Lucille is roughly 25 years old while Celeste & Cecilia are 50 and 48 respectively, though both appear to be in their mid-thirties due to their genetics. With Liam being 17, this means that Lucille would be about 7 years older than him. In the case of the short explanation given by Celeste, the shade (who'll be given a name soon), did commit the atrocious act after finding out about her marriage to Alexandre. Lucille wasn't born until after her mother wed.**

 **There will be more to this story coming up, but for now, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.**

 **See you all very soon!**


	35. Chapter 30

**Author's Apology: Sorry for the delayed update, I'll try and get these out quicker. I promise!**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 30: From Sacrificial Lamb...**

 ** _"Words can be twisted into any shape. Promises can be made to lull the heart and seduce the soul. In the final analysis, words mean nothing. They are labels we give things in an effort to wrap our puny little brains around their underlying natures when ninety-nine percent of the time the totality of the reality is an entirely different beast. The wisest man is the silent one. Examine his actions. Judge him by them."_**

 ** _― Karen Marie Moning._**

* * *

The dimly lit halls of a mausoleum haunted the very core of the young man and his captor; the former becoming nauseous under the malicious ambiance surrounding him. A prisoner, Liam followed the woman down the dark tunnel, grimacing at the stench that filled his nose. The only sounds to be heard were the footsteps of the two traveling down the long corridor. A sense of heaviness forced his movements to become more sluggish, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by the proclaimed royal.

"Relax, Beau **[1]** ," her words, toxic and sweet, flowed like elegant silk. "What you did is quite admirable and noble. No matter what, just know that my respect for you has only grown so much more."

"You're the last one who should be talking about respect," his face twisting into a deep scowl. "Using my mother as leverage to gain an upper hand? That's beyond low."

Half expecting the silk-clad woman to erupt, he studied how well she kept her cool, giggling at his words. "Is that any way to talk to family, nephew? Here I thought that was something you'd find to be so precious."

Halting his motions, Liam stared at the woman, her actions soon mirroring his own. She turned around, her amethyst eyes greeted with dark eyes radiating fierce, uncompromising stubbornness. Lips pursed at the cold glare until he removed his gaze from hers.

"Don't flatter yourself," he spat. "We MAY be related, but that doesn't make us family." Staring at the ground, the boy completely missed the pained look on the woman's face, oblivious to the deep wound he inflicted upon her. In his mind and heart, he only agreed to go with her for fear of what would happen to the mother he'd just found. "I don't know what you're after or what you need me for, but- ack!"

Her hand pressed against his neck, soul-shattering cold wrapping around it. He gripped her wrist in a weakening attempt to free himself. His breath now visible, Liam could feel his own body succumbing to the blistering winter element, his voice halted behind his Adam's apple, resulting in choking and gagging sounds.

"You're truly HER child; your recklessness knows no bounds." A haunting shadow passed over her eyes. "We'll soon rectify that horrible trait."

Relief washed over him the moment she released his neck only to be swiftly replaced by the red flag waving in his brain.

"What are you talking about?" he muttered through scratchy tones. "What do you want from me?!"

She resumed walking further into the abyss, only stopping long enough to reveal the subtle eagerness within her visual gates. "To simply reveal to you the truth."

"The truth? What truth?" his sudden shift in tone gave Cecilia the green light to continue.

"The truth of your past," she chuckled; her sultry, yet held a darker tone echoed deeper into the corridor. "and your glorious future."

* * *

After an hour, Jade followed behind the two older women, clearly feeling like the odd girl out as they trekked through the creepy swampland. Though normally one to enjoy the hallowed environment, there was no denying that something unsettled her. Mind full of 'what ifs' and possible outcomes of what could be happening, the goth started to chew her lip lightly in hopes of keeping herself anchored in reality, only succeeding in adding physical pain to the mental and emotional.

"Do not worry," the eldest woman's voice startled her. "I'm sure he's alright."

Her eyes, brimmed with warmth, seemed to comfort the raven, haired girl. "I know. I just can't believe that he would run off with some random woman with such reckless abandonment..." she then stopped dead in her tracks and snorted in a way lacking in cheerfulness. "On second thought, yes I can."

The trio soon resumed their travel shortly after her little revelation, yet, interest would get the better of Lucille. "Has he done something like this before?"

Jade couldn't resist the flush rising along her face, averting her gaze as many moments of heroism came flooding back. "Trust me, it's happened on more than one occasion," she giggled just before clearing her throat sheepishly. "Twice, in another country, he protected me and another girl last year from this psychopathic maniac who found pleasure in wanting to harm us. He wound up being thrown in the worst part of the prison..."

"Prison!?" Celeste interrupted, shocked at the reality of her offspring being behind bars.

"It was a diplomatic misunderstanding," Jade quickly assured. "We were thrown in there by an hyper-masculine dictator who thought we attacked him. In reality, my rival's heel accidentally flew off during a performance and he claimed she did it on purpose." Seeing both women's faces return to normal, she continued. "While it's not a pleasant memory, Liam stood up for us even though he knew he would suffer because of it. He and my ex-boyfriend eventually took on that slime and... killed him to ensure that we all escaped together. He had to spend a month in the hospital and missed a month's worth of school to recover but that wasn't the last time he would suffer on my behalf."

"Sounds like Alexandre," Celeste smiled brightly, catching the goth's attention. As they maneuvered around the many trees, a sign that they were nearly at their destination, Jade opened her mouth to speak only to be met at the pass by the elder woman. "He was always throwing caution to the wind if it meant helping someone in need. Liam sounds like he became a strong and loving young man after all these years."

This forced the youngest of the three to have a wide grin. "Y-yes... he had a way of breaking me out of my shell. He's a pain sometimes, but, after what he did for me and the others a few months ago, I wouldn't have him any other way."

Feeling the conversation becoming more personal, Celeste placed a hand on her shoulders. "And we can discuss it more after we rescue him, dear. For now, we must be ready for whatever lies beyond." She then reached around her neck, removing a makeshift necklace that she then put on Jade. "This should protect you from the spirits that haunt this place, including that shade though to a lesser degree. It'll still be able to harm you physically, but its powers would otherwise be nullified."

Fiddling with the charm that hung in the middle of the stringed jewelry, Jade West nodded in gratitude.

"Is there a plan, mother?" Lucille asked.

"I've been working on one since you both showed up." hardened eyes looked past the few tree separating them from the hidden location. "Once we pass the gate, my sister will be alerted to our presence shortly thereafter. Our best hope will be to split up in order to throw her off. I suggest you go in and be the diversion, she'll no doubt send that infernal creature after you both but, you two can handle it with no problem. I'll keep her occupied while you both free Liam."

Hearing the plan, both nodded.

"What will you do when you find her?" Lucille pointed to the woman with concern heavily coating her words.

Sighing, Celeste's lips began to curl upward, though even Stevie Wonder could see the uncertainty on her face.

"If it comes down to it, I'll be forced to defeat her and take the throne of Voodoo Queen." she grimaced, her face twisted like a child being forced to eat their vegetables. "I don't know what outcome will come, but I'm going to give it all I've got to stop my sister from bringing a calamity to this world."

* * *

Cecilia entered a large throne room with her nephew in tow, sitting down upon the lavish and regal throne that reminded the teen of the iron throne. While it lacked the insane multitude of swords, it was outfitted with a plethora of jewels implanted within the golden vines that made up the frames of the seat. As she crossed her legs, no doubt getting more comfortable, Liam chose to remain near the only exit. Not to arouse suspicion, he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

"You're more than welcome to have a seat, dear." she offered, conjuring a luxurious chair nearby with a slight wave of her hand.

"I prefer to stand, thanks." his own response, devoid of any emotion, still retained a subtle measure of sarcasm that didn't go unnoticed.

"Ever the defiant one still," she closed her hand to cause the object to disappear in a puff of smoke. "It's no wonder that she's grown quite fond of you."

"Don't speak about my mother," he snarled, reveal the canines positioned along the corners of his mouth Her eyes lit up with increasing intrigue as she took in the frame of her alleged relative. Unlike the first time they coincidentally met, his dark glare only managed to elevate the degree of attractiveness. Despite the infuriating resemblance, she couldn't deny that he was indeed the son of her elder sibling.

"You certainly have grown attached to someone you've just met in less than a day's time."

"So what?" he quipped back with ease. "Are you going to convince me that she's not?"

Liam's gaze stayed solely on the woman who merely switched legs to adjust her position, still carefree in her demeanor. "To the contrary, I believe that you are her child but," her lips slowly shifted into a deep frown, not one of frustration or anger but, for the first time, doubt and sadness. "What do you know about her?"

An eyebrow raised at the question, striking a chord from within his inner self. "I don't follow..."

Noting the caution in his voice, she leaned against the arm of the glorious chair, releasing an audible sigh. "All I'm saying is that she knows so much about your early years and yet, you know nothing. Why is that?"

"Maybe it's because you showed up uninvited before she could tell me?" he shrugged, though, his unconvincing stance grew stronger as his emerald orbs averted almost instantly towards a random portrait hanging along the far left end of the room.

"Are you sure about that, Liam? Can you say for sure that her words would give you peace of mind involving her absence in your life?" she finally stood up, a sincere expression resting on her features. "Or, did I come in time to stop her from filling your head with lies and falsehoods, sugar?"

A bead of sweat began to run down the side of Liam's face, unsure of what to make of the accusation. "No, she wouldn't do that!" he yelled emphatically but, conviction lacked in his tone. "I mean, she couldn't lie about those things, right? She is my mother! She tried to protect me from you and that thing."

"Did she really try and protect you or was she trying to protect herself?" Unlike before, her words came off with sincerity and gentleness. Try as he may, it was clear that his mind was conflicted from the words of the Voodoo Queen. The tightness of his crossed arms decreased in strength until both limbs would fall to his side. Hot wet spheres burned at the outer corners of his eyes. "Maybe I was there to deliver to you the truth that she so desperately wanted to hide from you?"

"But why?" his voice, no more than a whisper, a ghost of it former vibrato. "Why would she want to do that?"

"Perhaps, it was a ruse to cover up her failure as a mother to you; to ease her guilty conscious? It could be that she wanted to start fresh by giving you memories that would open you up to her rather than shut you out? Or maybe," her soft palm cupped his cheek, now stained with the searing pain of potential betrayal. When their eyes met, Liam could feel a familiar wave of tranquility welling up inside of him. It was like earlier in the evening; the encounter with the old woman. All he knew was that his heart felt at ease, locked into a world where Cecilia's words were his saving grace. "Maybe she feared the power that you possess?"

"Power?" hope peered past his lowered lids.

She nodded with a warm grin before pressing her lips against his forehead. "What do you know about the wolf-moon, nephew?"

* * *

Celeste, Lucille, and Jade wasted little time in passing the gate and separated once they found the aforementioned divide in the main hall. Torches rested all along the many paths, giving them just enough light to see themselves. As per her plan, Celeste took the path on the left after instructing the other two to take the right path. Pressing forward, her mind was solely on the condition of her son, and bitterly, the influence of her sister. Her duels gems sparked with a new determination not felt since her early years of adulthood.

"My son," she mourned softly unaware of the figure following her. "I pray that Pachamama protects you."

"Who would that be?"

If possible, the woman would've jumped out of her skin, instead, turning around to find none other than the young girl, Jade who jumped slightly herself.

"What are you doing here?!" she clutched her chest in the spot where her heart was. "You were supposed to go with Lucille."

"Yeah, that went over like a wet fish." she shrugged. "While you might not know it, she's super into my boyfriend, and instead of unleashing hell on your daughter, I snuck away and, here I am." her matter-of-fact grin, while annoying, was the least of Celeste's problems at the moment. "And forget about convincing me to go back. You're stuck with me, ma'am."

"Very well," she sighed. "She IS capable of handling herself against the spirits of this hallowed temple. On the other hand, will require some measure of protection so stay close."

With that said, she pushed onward with Jade following close behind. Neither spoke a word for the majority of their time in the corridor until Jade could no longer stand the insufferable silence.

"So, what's your story with my boyfriend?"

Celeste, keeping her head on a swivel, spared the girl a quick glance over her shoulder. "You're a rather rude one,"

"So I've been told," she smirked at the older woman, earning one right back. "It's one of my endearing qualities that he loves, actually."

"You're truly a strong one, indeed," Celeste let out a soft laugh, amused at her response. "I can see why he'd like you so much."

"That's why I want to help you rescue him. He's proven time and time again that he's committed even when I think I'm unbearable to be around. He's even battled the supernatural to rescue me and the others." It was then that Celeste noticed the darkness swirling behind her blue eyes, causing pools of troubled waters to appear. "He even defended me from his sister after she called me a monster and witch. Without hesitation, he chose me over his own flesh and blood even if it meant that it would cost him a member of his family."

"Sister?" she asked, highly interested and baffled by what Jade had just said. "Tell me more about his sister."

This was enough to cause Jade to stumble a bit. "Um... well, she's a slightly lighter shade than Liam but her most notable feature would be her amethyst eyes. They resemble yours and your daughter's left eye actually."

At that moment, gravity felt like it had increased tenfold upon Celeste; the magnitude ceasing her steps, rooting her in place. Her hands trembled violently at the revelation of the young girl's short description of her son's alleged relative. Her aura grew more malicious, a fact that, while unseen, was felt by Jade. Like a blazing furnace, she felt beads of sweat forming on her forehead from the heat of the woman next to her. After all of the craziness, she'd witness the last few hours, Jade wasn't shocked but unnerved by the pressure beating against her.

"What's wrong?" she shielded her face from the scorching air surrounding her.

"Liam has only one blood sister, and it is not that girl," she growled. Tiny sparks flickered around Celeste, her shoulders rising and falling deeply with each breath.

Within seconds, the hot winds vanished without a trace, returning them to the cool air that Jade was now thankful for. "What are you saying? How do you know that?"

The woman turned around with a soft frown gracing her lips. "Because I'm his mother, child."

The goth took a couple of steps back after hearing this. "Y-You're Liam's...?"

"Yes, he's my youngest son." she rubbed the back of her hand in hopes of shaking off the feeling of awkwardness. "It's not something to get worked up over, though."

"Are you kidding? You're his mom!" If possible, Jade's eyes sparkled with uncharacteristic embarrassment. "Here I am talking to you about your son and I like it was nothing when I've been talking to his mother..." her face began to glow a deep shade of red that made her look like a pomegranate. "The things I've said," she muttered only to widen her eyes in horror. "The things I nearly said..."

"Try and relax. While your concern is justified, I'm more interested in getting my son back right now."

Still hiding her reddened cheeks, Jade mumbled something incoherent just before Celeste started walking forward once more. The sounds of multiple feet bounced off of the walls as their destination came into sight. "Where are we heading exactly?"

"Up ahead is the Loa Grounds, a place where bokors and shamans come to practice their gifts. Only those intuned with the spirits can even enter this place which means you may be kept out but, at least you'll be safe from what's about to happen."

Not content with that, Jade said nothing until they neared the door to the grounds. Before them, it held both the sun and moon either side surrounded by a dragon that appeared to swallow the sun while the other side had another devouring the crescent moon. "You know, there is one good thing that's come out of all of this." She watched as Celeste faced her with a questionable gaze. "No disrespect, but knowing that Liam's your son gives me peace knowing that your daughter can't take him away from me." she allowed a devilish grin to form on her lips, more out of devious glee than offense."

Surprisingly, Celeste let out a hearty laugh, the first time she'd done so in a long time. It was much needed for what was about to happen in the coming moments.

"Thank you, Jade." her eyes lit up, gratefulness for the companionship, albeit brief in its timing. "You'll make a fine wife one day for my son."

Blushing again, Jade swiftly reached out for the handle of the door only to find it far beyond what her strength could pull.

"This door won't open..." she grunted. "How do we get in?"

"OPEN THE DAMN DOOR CECILIA!" her roar of irritation could be heard for miles as it rattled the hall. It's desired results were achieved as the double doors creaked open slowly. "That's how I get this damned thing to open." for the first time, she gave the pale skinned girl a cocky smirk.

'I like her,' she mentally announced as the brisk air was suddenly overshadowed by the warm breeze. A faint light rained down the middle of the empty area, much to the duo's disdain. "He's not here," she whispered, drops of disappointment cascading her words like rain falling to earth.

"They're here."

"There's nobody out there!" she protested only to be met by the woman's hardening gaze.

"This barrier also hides those inside its protection. It was set in place to deter humans who managed to find this place in the bayou. Only those who can pass through will see all that's inside. I can sense them because of my training in spiritual detection" she then took a step, allowing Jade to see her left foot disappear as evidence of her claim. "Now, you remain safe while I handle my sister. I'll bring him back to you." Flashing one last smile, Celeste stepped through, completely vanishing from sight and leaving Jade to ponder what could happen. Once inside, it was clear that the barrier was all that she said it was as two images appeared before her.

While the figure on the left was obviously Cecilia, the other caused her heart to skip a beat. Across from her stood her own son, Liam, who seemed none too pleased to see his estranged mother. Gone were the street clothes he wore prior to his capture only to be replaced by a more traditional bokor's garb. The only thing that even remained of his was his wolf claw necklace which did go well with the garments. He stood straight and tall, like a proper guard. But, all of that paled in comparison to the most significant change.

His eyes.

His pure green iris' were now surrounded by a faded tint of amethyst along the edges giving off a soft glow.

She knew all too well what that entailed: Possession.

This must've been her plan all along, to control Liam in hopes of utilizing him to further cement her stronghold on the throne.

"Liam?" she whispered horrifically.

"Hello, 'mother'," he replied, not a shred of feeling found in him.

"What did she do to you?" without realizing, Celeste found herself wandering toward the two, only caring to understand her child's plight. Each step made her heart heavier as the truth of the situation grew clearer. "Spirit of Pachamama, what did she do to you?!" she wailed; He refused to look away, even as her lips trembled and his shoulders heaved with emotion, unable to accept the fate befallen her offspring. Her resolve crumbling, she'd forgotten her plan when another voice filled her ears.

"I told him the truth of his destiny," Cecilia remarked, her own orbs glowing an intense shade of purple. "and you're past..."

"My past?" she whispered, terror, filling her lungs. "How? Even I don't remember fully what happened.. unless..."

It was at that moment the voodoo queen broke out in a full off cackle. "I was there, Celeste! I was the there the night you committed your unforgivable sin!"

"No..." she bowed her head in denial.

"Yes, big sister," she tucked her locs behind her ear. "That night, you gave up Liam. You abandoned your son!" she pointed with sickening delight.

Memories of that night suddenly began to come back like a mighty gust of wind.

The night she gave birth.

The omen placed over her son and family as a result.

Their attempted exodus from Louisiana only to be attacked by unknown assassins.

The death of her soulmate, Alexandre; it all came back clear as crystal.

Then it appeared: An image of her handing her barely year old child.

"I- I did..." she stood up, frozen like a statue. "I gave up my child."

Satisfied, the younger sibling turned her gaze from the broken woman before her towards the young man. "I'd count that as guilt by admission. Wouldn't you, nephew?"

"Yes, my queen." he droned, his lifeless tone pleasing her even more. "What would you have me do?"

"Since I've played judge, I'll allow you to be jury and executioner."

A demented grin stretched his lips to the point of nearly splitting his face in two as he cracked his knuckles. Liam then held out his hand, focusing as green specks of energy began to form around it until a staff appeared in front of him. "Bosou Koblamin, slay my enemy and devour their soul," he called out. In an instant, Liam rushed in a blind rage towards the stunned woman. His motions were like a four-legged beast that, despite the large staff, seemed to be easily done by the young boy. Zigzagging, he jumped off of his legs bringing the weapon down on his mother only to find it caught with relative ease.

"You think me a fool, Cecilia?" her voice, dark and demonic flowed along the wind. Liam pulled away in time to avoid the flames that enveloped the mediocre wooden stick. Crouching, both he and voodoo queen observed the shifting matter of Celeste. "You dare possess my boy with Bosou?!" Duel colored eyes faded to pitch black, leaving only a red ring where they once were. Each breath spewed a small flame while her small canines grew large enough to do some form of damage. "You're right, I gave up my baby but," her nails even transformed into blackened talons. **"I'm here to take him back!"  
**

Just then, she picked up something in the air coming from the alleged royal priestess, a scent that caused her to lick her lips hungrily.

 **"Your fear smells delicious, sister!"** her voice, now no longer her own shook the woman, forcing her to flinch. **"I'll savor it when I kill you."**

"Just what are you?" she backed away a great deal, overtaken by the demonic presence that radiated from her blood rival.

 **"Do you not recognize me, witch?"** it now appeared that the creature had taken full control of Celeste now. **"I am that which you failed to conquer. I am your biggest fear and your greatest nightmare."** Suddenly, her body began to move at ungodly speeds, only matched by the controlled Liam who rushed over to flank her, knocking her to the ground. She rolled on the dirt until she dug her nails into it, stopping her ferocious tumble. **"Even now, you use another to handle that which you cannot! This vessel did what you could not, and it eats you alive, something I hope to do myself."**

"N-Nephew! Defend your queen!" she cried out, her unsettled voice breaking under the petrifying gaze of the beast within her sister. "Do not let i-it take m-me!"

The beasts grin began to grow on Celeste's face, serving to fuel the woman's terror even more. **"You cannot escape me,"** she pointed. **"I will devour your soul for your fraudulent claims."** Another flame, this time from her nose, flowed out with a black hue. While the Loa within Liam was indeed powerful, it clearly remained cautious of the one residing his mother. Turning her gaze to the youth, she tilted her head, studying the defensive stance. **"You use a mere boy to do your bidding, Bosua? You sicken me..."**

 **"I answer not to you, monster, but to the one who summoned me,"** He replied, though not without reservation towards its fellow Loa. **"Until I've completed my contract, or unless I'm defeated."**

 **"Then allow me to free you from your torment!"** Celeste rushed him again, flawlessly pushing the young male back. His feet, firmly planted on the earth was no match for the might of the spirit though as he stumbled back before a, justifiably disturbed, Cecilia. **"He's a strong one, brother, but he lacks the experience to handle the power you possess."**

 **"I've noticed that,"** a drop of blood trickled from his temple until it splashed on the ground below. **"Perhaps he could one day, should I choose to remain bound to this one, Bakulu."**

 **"Indeed, but he may not see that day if I kill him!"** she roared, sending a shockwave throughout the vicinity of their position.

* * *

 **French to English**

 **[1]** **Beau: Handsome**

* * *

 **Haiti Loa**

 **Bosou Koblamin** : Violent petro loa. Bosou is a violent loa capable of defeating his enemies. He is very popular during times of war. He protects his followers when they travel at night. Bosou's appearance is that of a man with three horns; each horn has a meaning-strength, wildness, and violence. Sometimes Bosou comes to the help of his followers but he is not a very reliable loa. When a service is held, Bosou appears by breaking chains that he is restrained. Immediately upon appearing he is given a pig, his favorite food. The ceremony in honor of Bosou always pleases a congregation because it allows them to eat. Usually, a good number of people attend such a service. **Currently possessing Liam via Cecilia** **  
**

 **Bakulu: (Bakulu-baka)** He drags chains behind him and is such a terrible spirit that no one dares to invoke him. His habitat is in the woods where offerings are taken to him. He himself possesses no one. Since no one wants to call on him, people simply take any offerings that go to him and leave them in the woods. **Currently residing inside of Celeste via pact**

* * *

 **Alright, this is where I'll end this chapter but, I'm working on the next one as soon as this one is uploaded. Based on how things go with the next chapter, there are basically only two chapters remaining for this arc. Of course, let's get the explanations out of the way. Loa's are Haitian spirits that were worshiped by those who lived there and abroad. Three were mentioned here and will each play a significant role in the relationships between Liam, Cecilia, and Celeste. I tried to incorporate humor alongside the serious moments between Celeste and Jade, the latter who will be around as well. (You don't really think that I would bring her along just to have her sit on the sidelines, did you?)**

 **The conclusion to this portion of Demons Within is drawing nearer and I'm as excited to bring to you all before Christmas. Although I have 13 days to do this, I do want to have the next two chapters completed and uploaded before Christmas just in case I do something special for the holidays. I may have something uploaded as well or I may hold a holiday contest (OC/Story based, etc.) In the meantime, stay tuned and see you guys for the next installment of Demons within.**


	36. Chapter 31

**Just a little quick intro: It's going to be a long ride for this chapter.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 31: ...To Ravenous Wolf**

 **"Rummaging in our souls, we often dig up something that ought to have lain there unnoticed. "**

 **― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina.**

* * *

Two Loa, one feared and the other, respected, stood apart from one another. Each carried with them separate objectives that revolved around one soul. Their dark gazes focused, little could be said to dissuade the entities of their resolves. Within the two human vessels, they peered at one another through their eyes with determination.

Protect.

Destroy.

Secure.

Conquer.

Shelter.

Devour.

Their spirits knew the other well though, unfortunately, this wasn't the time nor place for formalities.

 **"Bosou,"** the Loa within Celeste called out. **"Will you step aside and let me claim this woman?"**

The body of Liam stood firm, his face twisted with conflicting feelings. **"Nothing would bring me pleasure, Bakulu,"** The strain of servitude finally showed in his voice. **"But we both know that I am bound to this boy."**

If possible, Celeste's red rings appeared sullen, full of unbridled disappointment towards his response. **"I see. Then you leave me no choice."**

In an instant, the woman charged at him, claws raised as they swiped at him. With all the strength he could muster, Bosou's spirit managed to gift him with just enough power to withstand the hellacious blow. Within seconds, he attempted an uppercut that just missed its mark due to Celeste pulling her away several feet. She didn't have much time to relax as the young man managed to close the distance, launching a volley of bone-rattling punches on the defensive matriarch.

 **"Is that all you got, Bakulu?!"** the entity within taunted. **"Or are you content with being a coward?"**

His answer came in the form of a well-timed leg sweep followed by two massively clawed hands slamming him further into the ground, creating a small crater. With the air now driven from his lungs, Liam's body bounced from the devastating attack only to be scooped up by a demonically infused backhand that sent him crashing into a stone pillar behind Cecilia who remained frozen in fear. Fortunately for Liam, the spirit inside of him was able to shroud the boy in its essence, allowing him to avoid serious injury, though, by his bulging eyes, it could only minimize the pain he felt.

 **"Your arrogance knows no bounds."** the woman growled, her shoulders rising and falling with each hulking breath. **"But the boy's inexperience will be your demise. Break the witches bond and save yourself and that poor child."**

Cecilia watched anxiously at the body of her nephew, her own flesh, and blood's body buried in the stone column. Her heart jumped at his unmoving form with worry in her eyes. For the first time, she was concerned with the well-being of her family until she felt a cold and unyielding presence lurking nearby. Turning around, she once more felt self-preservation taking over, causing her to swipe her hand in front of her. "Stay back, creature!" he voice cracked, much to the Loa's delight. His movements continued, forcing her to cast any form of her ice magic. Despite her immense power, it had little to no effect on the spirit possessing her sister. Large ice shards either shattered or melted once they made contact with Bakula's essence surrounding the woman.

"S-stay back!" she cried out, but it fell on deaf ears as she locked gazes with what was Celeste. Overcome by trepidation, the voodoo queen slowly backed away from the nightmare incarnate. Every part of her trembling, it was clear to the predator that this game would come to a swift end. Down to all fours, the older sibling licked her lips, savoring the fear that seeped through Cecilia's pores. If she wasn't appetizing before, Bakulu found her absolutely irresistible; her soul growing ever more delicious with each passing second. "I'm warning you, monster."

 **"What will you do? Your power is no match for that of a Loa,"** the voice of the creature taunted. **"Your petty rituals and magic are feeble, compared to that of my own. It is why you failed to control me all those years ago. You are but a stain in my presence, yet you walk around with arrogance. I take great pleasure in devouring your soul."**

Little could be done to save the holder of the crown, her back now against another pillar while Celeste steadily closed the distance between them. Flames licked the air with each exhale, lightly stinging the cryomancer's face. Like a helpless child, Cecilia could only whimper as Bakulu's shroud began to grow over her face into a wicked beast, ready to feast on the spirit of the woman before her.

This was it, every part of her plan was for naught. Years of preparation, hope, and desire would be dashed in mere seconds. She closed her eyes tightly in hopes that her end would be swift when, surprisingly, she no longer felt the evil presence. She opened one eye to find the controlled Celeste struggling against a multitude of chains that, upon closer inspection, were protruding from the earth below. Her double colored eyes looked on in bewilderment. Enraged, Celeste fought against the bonds that soon had her kneeling.

"What in the world?" she whispered, thankful to who, or whatever, was responsible for subduing her sister.

"Stay away from her," an exhausted voice, all too familiar, asserted with malevolence. "Your battle is with me, 'mother'."

 **"How dare you wretch?!"** the beast within bellowed. **"You miserable cur! I'll skin you alive!"**

"Shadow of the swamp, scourge of the bayou, I seal you back into the depths from where you came." Beneath Celeste, the ground began to glow a bright green, matching the youth's own orbs, a low humming accompanying it. Lower and lower, the chains proved effective in subduing the irate woman. Separate voices echoed into the night, no doubt haunting all for miles. It didn't seem to faze the injured boy. "Struggle all you'd like," the tiniest of grins tugged on the corner of his lip. "Now, you'll pay for what you did."

His sweat-drenched brow shuddered just slightly from the cool kiss of the breeze, his only sign of hesitation; his humanity. Amidst every possible attempt for freedom, Celeste found herself oddly too weak from the enchanted irons that weighed her down. Not only that, but it seemed that the spirit of the feared Loa, Bakulu, was no longer present as she felt her body growing weaker by the second. Soon, there was no sign at all as her now fragile frame appeared to be resting against the chains that held her in place; it was clear that she was no longer able to continue.

"It seems age has caught up with you," Cecilia's voice rang in her ear, even cockier than before. "I'll accept that you put up a good effort, but time was not your friend." Under the restraints, Celeste's only reaction was a furious glare directed at the approaching woman. The hatred between them had brought them to this point, neither making an effort to mend the charred remains of the bridge that was their sisterhood. Despite her fancy dress, the younger woman kneeled before her captured sister, her face now sporting an unhinged grin. "The valiant mother who sought to save the child she gave up. In her attempts at absolvement, she finds herself, instead, at the mercy of her greatest mistake."

Cecilia dug her hands into the woman's long locs, tugging just enough to cause more pain. She then leaned in closer, pressing her lips against her forehead. The result of her actions would force the defeated elder's orbs to shoot open for only a moment before sinking to a half-lidded state; sudden realization melting into weakening understanding.

"How could you?" she whispered in between forced breaths, her lips quivering at the mental and emotional suffering coursing through her veins. "You knew all along...?"

Without another word, Cecilia stood to her feet with contempt. "You're pathetic, Celeste." she spat. She then nodded to the boy then began her departure as her own flesh and blood bowed her head in resignation. "I leave her fate to you. Return to me once you've finished up here for the ritual," she called. The entire time, Liam stood, silently watching the ever-changing moments of the woman known to as his biological mother.

Her current plight was all too fitting for her transgressions, wasn't it? She had abandoned him, given him away for, only Lord knew what reason. He spent years being abused by his uncle, alongside his sister/cousin, Ahrya. From there, things appeared to happen for the better when he met Trina, but that only brought him more heartache. It caused him to shield himself from the world and even contemplate taking his own life. All of these things and more only made his blood boil. His hand raised to the sky, a long tendril began to form, morphing into a sickle above his target.

Eyes filled with anger, hatred, rage, fury, sorrow, and pain bulged as, without a moment's hesitation, he swung the weapon down to behead her. Celeste didn't have to look up to see the attack, she felt everything pouring out around her as if it were flowing water.

No words of protest.

No pleas for forgiveness.

It was too late.

She was trapped, and there was nobody to save her.

"Liam, stop!"

'That voice...' her ear twitched. 'It couldn't be.'

He looked up, the point of his phantom shrouded blade only a centimeter or so from his mother's neck, to see a sight he never imagined seeing.

"Jade?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Lucille stomped through the maze of hallways alone, no doubt pissed at the ivory skinned girl for ditching her. On one side of things, she was content with not having to feud with her while searching for the handsome boy, Liam. The occasional thought of him courting her would cross her mind, making her smile in the process, but she wouldn't dwell too long as she knew that she wasn't in friendly territory.

"Anything could jump out at any moment," she mumbled to herself. "I must remain prepared for anything."

She turned the corner, entering through a large rustic door into the lowest area of the mausoleum; every step being more cautious than the last. The torches adorning the room made it more cryptic. To make matters worse, she wasn't alone in this massive cellar; a pair of golden eyes staring at her with intrigue from above in the rafters.

"You're a brave one, child," she snapped her body around at the soft hissing voice. "Either that or you're extremely stupid."

Thinking on her feet, she reached into a pocket on her pants, pulling out some beads with a mysterious symbol on the end. "Big talk coming from a coward hiding in the shadows." she taunted back. "Why don't you come out and face me?"

"Foolish girl!" the voice retorted, rattling Lucille just a bit. "You think me afraid? You surmise that I need the shadows to gain an advantage?"

Footsteps echoing in her ears, Lucille's lips twisted into a firm scowl. "I know it's you, so cut the crap, 'father'."

Expecting to see the demonic shade, she was taken aback when a bald and dark-skin man with amethyst eyes stepped into the flames revealing light. His features were the complete opposite of the figure that almost made a meal out of her mom earlier in the evening. The only thing familiar to her was his energy.

"You cannot fool me, monster," she growled, eye narrowing with intense focus. "Taking another's form isn't going to stop me."

Surprisingly, the male released a hearty laugh in response, wiping away a tear in response.

"You truly are gifted."

"..."

"My child,"

"I'm not your child!"

"Lucille, you have grown into a fine young woman," his warm smile only served to unnerve the young woman even more. "It seems like yesterday, you were climbing trees and pretending to be one of the gulls flying high in the sky."

"H-how do you know that?"

She watched as his eyes twinkled in delight, a complete 180 from the earlier encounter.

"Isn't it obvious?"

Trepidation swept through her heart, her judgment of the shade growing more questionable by the second. "You're serious?"

"Lucille, why would I lie?"

"Why would you attempt to kill me and mother?!"

"Because she's not who you think she is, sweetheart."

She rolled her eyes, blowing off his accusation. "You know nothing..."

"She's kept secrets from you, hasn't she?" she didn't say anything which allowed him to continue. "Nearly all of your life, you've noticed that she's been full of secrets. Whenever you've asked about anything, she either avoids it or tells you to drop it, right?" Her silence confirmed this. "But there's something, one thing that you've wanted to know for all of these years. It's something that eaten away at you since you were a little girl."

"What would that be?"

"The identity of your father," he flashed his perfect teeth, dazzling bright like the diamonds. "Tell me, am I wrong?"

"That's none of your business, monster," She spat, her eyes burning with anger. She took a defensive stance once more, though, her determination had clearly been shaken. "I don't care about such things anymore."

Sensing a crack in her shield, the male peered at her with something she never imagined him possessing: Compassion.

"We both know that you're a terrible liar, princess." he slowly approached her, feeling her heartbeat increase in pace with each step. "You were always bad at it. Your eyes always give you away." Lucille couldn't believe what she was hearing; this creature who claimed to be her father was actually revealing something personal about her with relative ease. "You were never the type to lie anyways. You would break down into tears and that usually got you off the hook, right?"

She felt the soft caress of his palm along her cheek, her inhibitions slowly melting away under his touch. As if in a trance, the young woman soon felt strength begin to leave her body, comfort, and pain settling over within. Memories soon started flowing back into her head. From their shared past to her early childhood. Glistening orbs formed along the brims of her lids, threatening to overflow as her mind wrapped around the reality staring her right in her face. This man was her father...

"D-daddy?" she whimpered in anticipation.

"Yes, dear..." his smile only growing bigger at her acceptance. "I've missed you, princess."

"It's really you!" she cried happily.

He simply nodded, pulling his daughter into a tight hug. "We have so much to catch up; so much to discuss."

"Indeed, you do," Another voice broke up the familial bond. "You can start with why you're lying to the poor girl."

Both turned around only for the male to receive a rattling kick to the face that sent him crashing into a pillar several feet away. Anger once again welled up within Lucille who fixed her fury onto whoever dared to strike her father. Standing next to a confused and irate Lucille, a scruffy looking young man wearing casual attire was glaring at the man he attacked. At first, she couldn't make out who he was but that changed once she noticed his gentleman's hat. There was only one person she knew who couldn't live without it.

"Remy?!" she roared, eyes flickering with rage.

"You can thank me later, cher," he grinned smugly just before catching a hard fist on the shoulder. "Ow! What the hell?!"

"What is your problem?!"

"I could ask you the same thing," he rubbed his freshly bruised limb. "Are you that blind that you can't see through this charade?!"

The dapper friend pointed in the direction where the male was now struggling with a conviction so strong, it could've strangled him. The two wouldn't have long as a pitch black tendril lash out, narrowly missing the duo and lodging itself in the stone wall. It had now become clear that she had been

"I'll crush you, bastard!" gone was the smooth and loving tone leaving behind the snake-like hiss that Lucille recognized all too well. "I will eat out your heart and bathe in your blood!"

Remy glared at the creature, not phased by its threat. "Do you really believe that this monster could be your father, love?" His words rocked the woman to her core as she stared in horror at the shade across from them. Like a scab, its skin began to peel off, seething in pain from the hard blow inflicted on it. "Shade's are pretty good with transforming themselves and..." he turned his head, eyes softening in frustration and shame. Taking his chance, the creature took that moment of distraction to escape, fading into the shadows and away from the pair.

"How did you know?"

"No," Lucille turned to him, tears streaming down her ebony cheeks. "How did you know that he wasn't my dad?"

The suffering behind her eyes, he knew that there was nothing he could say that could fix her emotional ailment.

Nothing, except the truth.

"Because he's my father..." he sighed. "Jericho Decoste, the 'Shadow of the Swamp'."

* * *

All eyes were on the girl standing in

"Jade," His body shivered violently. "What are you doing here?"

"I- I don't know..." she looked around, surprised at her appearance herself. "What are you doing?"

Conflicted, and stunned, the boy suddenly looked at the chained woman before him. Darkness grew behind his eyes once more, strengthening his earlier determination to eradicate himself of the one who hurt him deeply.

"Making her pay for her sins."

"Since when are you the type to seek vengeance?" His face went blank, postponing his movements once more. "When have you ever had a desire for revenge, Liam?"

"You don't understand, Jade," he growled, clamping his eyes shut in hopes of drowning out her points.

"What's not to understand? That you're about to commit point-blank murder? Or maybe it's the fact that you're better than this?" she crossed her arms. "My point is that you don't need to do this."

"I'm afraid he does, child." Jade shifted her attention to Cecilia, reborn with confidence after surviving the onslaught earlier. "What you don't understand is that this is his destiny."

Concern turned into bewilderment that turned in disgust as Jade's skin grew paler. "Destiny?! What the fuck are you blabbing about?"

Sapphire eyes burned into the granite gaze of her lover and the woman standing next to him. "Simple girl, my nephew is about to free himself from the bonds of pain and rejection by ending the one who caused it. What would you know about the significance of his redemption?"

"Redemption?" she scoffed. "What redemption can be found in taking someone's life?!"

"What do you know?" the queen sneered.

"Please, leave the child out of this." Celeste's voice cracked as she shifted uncomfortably under the heavy chains. "She has nothing to do with this."

Of course, this only served to light a flame in both ladies.

"No!" they both yelled, but it was Jade who pressed on.

"If this is your redemption, then what are I and Tori?" she enjoyed the moment when he scrunched his face. "Was everything you've said and done with us just a lie?"

Trembling; his body remained in place as the words of his gothic lover pierced his soul. "J-Jade..."

"It's a simple question, Liam." her fist clenched tightly. "I thought us being together after what happened with Vega was your alleged saving grace. Are you planning on taking your vengeance out on Trina after this?"

"What? N-no!" he cried out, his emerald orbs wide with horror at the accusation. "I would never-!"

"Or how about me?" this caused his blood to run cold. Had he heard her right? "If I recall correctly, I nearly tried to kill you when we first met, indirectly caused you to be attacked by a psychopath, used your heart as a reward for me and Tori's pursuit of you, and even nearly took your soul. All of those things qualify for that bitch's definition of justice, right?"

While on the outside, Liam was as a statue, frozen as his mind and soul clashed with one another. On one hand, he had the source of his problems at his feet, the spirit inside calling for her head. However, he knew that Jade had a point; if he went through with the deed, wouldn't he be required to do the same to Trina, and her? Time passed and the more he thought about it, the more his head seemed to hurt, his inner self, scratching and clawing at his mind, seeking to attain dominance over the being that was possessing him.

 **"She deserves it..."** the voice of the spirit, Bosou spoke up amidst tears. **"The woman must die."**

This only made Jade's anger grow. "Shut up! Liam is his own man. He doesn't need some ghost speaking for him!"

Again, his body seized up, his mind at war with his heart.

"Nephew!" Cecilia interrupted, clearly annoyed at the stalling. "It seems the girl has a point. Kill her too..."

Three separate expressions flashed towards her.

Celeste looked on in horror at such a despicable order. "Sister! Leave those children out of this." But her plea fell on deaf ears; her orders absolute.

Obviously, Liam's expression hardened as a vein popped on the side of his head. While his mind was set on disobeying, he found that his body wasn't under his control, instead, being piloted by the Loa, Bosou who lowered his arm to his side before charging towards its target.

This left Jade.

Her lips settling into a straight line, she remained where she was much to the bafflement of everyone else.

"Jade, move!" she heard him yell out. "Get out of the way!"

Running as fast as his body allowed, he soon closed the distance between himself and his beloved monster when it happened; Time stood still. Only a few inches apart from each other, their eyes met. Remorse locked with understanding, the perfect contrast to their first few times of knowing one another. This was just like their first day of school when they were lost and focused on hurting the other. Then their thoughts flashed to the evening after Trina's disappearance when he tackled her in a fit of rage. From there time in Yerba, to their first time together, neither could deny the intense feelings exuded by their significant other.

"I'm sorry," he mouthed, tears leaving a burning trail down his cheek.

Jade, lost in the moment, smirked sadly. "Me too."

Then it happened, Liam's body hunched over Jade's fallen form, a sharp pain engulfing his entire body.

"It's about time..." he heard his aunt's bored tone. "Now, get up and finish off your sorry excuse for a mother."

"..."

"Liam?"

"..."

"Bosou, I gave you an order!" she squinted, shark-like eyes cutting at the quivering boy. "Did you hear not me?!"

"Oh, he heard you, lady." Cecilia stared in shock as her nephew's body was gingerly pushed to the side. "But, he's not available to act, right now on account of his sore groin."

"Then it looks like I'll just have to destroy you myself." the woman's chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. "Congratulations, you've managed to become a greater annoyance than my infernal sister." She gestured her thumb towards Celeste. To her shock, she was no longer there, only a pile of dissipating chains remaining in the spot. "Where did she go?"

"You're so arrogant, and that's coming from me." the girl clasped her hands behind her head, flashing a look of faux innocence.

If the Voodoo Queen wasn't already pissed before, the daggers she glared towards Jade couldn't begin to describe her mood. Extending a hand, her fury revealed itself in the form of various ice shards forming around the girl and fallen boy. With no way of escape, she didn't hesitate to rain down the sharp chunks on her hoping to hear a blood-curdling scream for her troubles. One after the other, she continued her onslaught, her mind concerned only with the destruction of the girl that dare mock the Queen of the Bayou.

"Don't you believe that was a bit of overkill?" a low hiss tickled her ear, its owner surveying the carnage across from them.

"Oh, you're back, Jericho..." Her hair coming undone, she swiftly shoved her hair out of her face, though, a single lock remained curled around her finger. "I didn't know that you were back so soon.

"Unfortunately, we've been compromised." his Cheshire grin flipped into a large frown. "An unexpected guest followed the girl... How did you fare, my queen?"

"Judging by the looks of things, I'd say that this was all for naught." Dull amethyst stared at the chilly figures planted into the ground. "My sister appears to have escaped but, in the end, I still robbed her of her only direct tie to the man she loved. Between that, and me keeping the throne, I'm content."

"But, what about the prophecy? Didn't you say that you needed him to validate your rule?"

She let out a rambunctious laugh, her lips curling up with glee. "My dear shade, sometimes you have to read between the lines. While it's true that Liam was intricate in my plans, you should know that I always have a 'plan B' just in case of emergencies."

Sensing where she was going, Jericho's face stretched into a haunting grin once more. "Then, his death?"

"All part of the plan," she bit her lip, savoring the moment. "He can't challenge my rule from the afterlife."

"Your depravity is incorrigible, Cecilia."

"You love it..." her sultry voice like honey, sweet in his ear. "For now, let's get going. I have a reign to continue."

The pair turned away, prepared to leave when a particular sound caught the shade's ear. He quickly twisted his head to find the source was none other than the ice seemingly chipping away. "My queen?" he motioned for her to see what he was observing. Soon more cracks began to form, a dark crimson mist emitting from underneath. "Is this the work of that damned woman?!"

"N-No... this is something else entirely," she replied, her eyebrows firmly knit together.

Baring its fangs, Jericho took his stance, dropping to all fours in preparation for an attack. Soon the giant shards exploded, crystal slivers elegantly falling around the two teens. The freezing atmosphere had some effect as the two, as evident by the small clouds coming from their mouths. Disheveled hair clung to their faces as Liam struggled to his feet, with assistance from Jade.

"Are you okay, tiger?"

Coughing a bit, he nodded. "Yeah. What about you?"

"I'm fine," she scoffed. "Although I can't explain why." The answer was revealed when the girl looked at Liam, her lips slightly parted at the dark green aura surrounding him. Shockingly, he silently gawked at her, prompting the puzzled girl to look at her glowing hands. "What the hell is going on?"

"How are they not dead?"

"So, the amulet worked." Celeste presumed, catching the already stunned Cecilia and Jericho off guard. She fixed her attention on them, tilting her head to the side. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

"You...! I'll end you, bitch!" she swung her right arm summoning more ice only to have her hand engulfed in flames. Her shrieks echoed through the night as she cradled her singed mitt. Tears of torment overflowed almost immediately as she dropped to her knees from the intense heat. She'd hoped that her sincere anguish would garnish some sympathy from the slightly older woman only find a condemning glare. "How could you do this to your own sister? What would our parents say?"

"Why don't you ask them in the afterlife," she extended her arm, a smoldering inferno forming around her palm. "should you actually get to meet them." It was crystal clear that any sign of love or mercy was now dead and buried deep within Celeste, her eyes growing colder than her sister's ice. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't give you a taste of the hell you're about to endure."

"We-we're sisters! Family!" the Ice bokor pleaded hysterically. "You couldn't kill a member of the family, would you? Please?" Scoffing, Celeste put out the blaze and walked past, ignoring the dark entity that stood next to the sniveling mess of her sibling.

"I'm tired, Cecilia..." she huffed out of pure exhaustion. "For years, we've bickered and fought. You cause chaos and I've had to bring order to your mess. You've caused me pain from your petty jealousy and it's caused nothing but more pain for everyone around you. I've tried for years to prevent you from ruining my life, be it keeping Lucille away from you, and even banishing you from the family lineage, even pretending you didn't exist, but, somehow, you spring back up every time. I should kill you, wipe you and that miserable creature from the face of this earth..." she looked over her shoulder, hellfire burning behind her duel colored orbs. "But, I actually have to thank you..."

"T-thank me?" she sniffed.

"Yes. If it weren't for you concocting this foolish plan, I wouldn't have had the courage to meet my son. After nearly 18 years, I got to see the child that disappeared or rather, the child you stole, Cecilia. But I forgive you for that, and I will allow you and your pet to leave New Orleans." As expected, Cecilia's eyes widened in terror.

"What? You don't mean-?"

"It's as you said, Liam is the rightful Voodoo King which makes your reign null and void. You no longer have any control over the Coven anymore..."

"How dare you?!" Jericho snarled. "You can't do this to her!"

"I just did, so long as my son lives, your 'queen' is nothing more than a common shaman!" she snapped back, matching the shade's vicious tone. "She said herself that his mere presence could destroy the very foundation of the coven and tonight, he's proven that. She interfered with him by possessing him with Bosou's spirit and violated our order's rules. That alone is grounds for her removal and exile." Finally, taking in a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding, Celeste resumed her path towards a confused Liam & Jade who looked on with concern.

Behind her, Cecilia could only stare at the ground as her entire world crumbled around her. Reality would hit her the hardest when the realization of her former life was no longer an option: She Lost... There was no other way of putting it, every plan formed, every shortcut taken, and every back stepped on gain her position was all for nothing now. There were two paths she could take now; the choice, however, would determine her fate from that moment on. As she lifted her head, she saw an image that broke her heart.

"Mom?" Liam nervously called out to the woman, unable to read her face. "Are you alright?"

Thankfully, she stopped just short of bumping into him, her lip quivering. "Yes, I'm just fine, son. But," she looked away from him.

"But, what?" the warmth of his voice, melted any animosity that remained in her soul. "What's wrong?"

"Can you forgive me, Liam?" she then grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug. "Can you forgive this old woman for failing you?"

Her sobs would only grow, though, out of sheer happiness as her only son wrapped his arms around her frame, lifting the weight of guilt from her heart.

"Yes, I'm just glad I finally get to meet you." he chuckled softly, trying his best to refrain from breaking down himself. "Now, I know that you're alive and that you love me, I don't care about the past. I just want to build a relationship with you."

As the two broke apart, Celeste finally was able to get a good look at her youngest child. He was tall and strapping, the embodiment of her beloved. The only difference between the two would be their hair. She smiled and kissed his forehead, the first exhibited sign of her unconditional love for him.

"I'd love nothing more than that."

He then formally introduced her to Jade, who gave him a playful punch to the shoulder, causing his mother to laugh. Sore and worn out, the three made their departure. Just before entering the dark halls, Celeste would spare a glance, a testament to what she was leaving behind. Her conflicted soul locked onto one of desperation and rejection, feeling the emotional link slowly severing between them. It crushed her but, she knew this was the right way of doing things.

"Goodbye my sister..." she whispered as her the teens disappeared into the depths.

"Goodbye..." Cecilia muttered, her own departure made thanks in part to Jericho's shadow engulfing them both.

* * *

"I never knew you had such an amazing past, Liam." Jade cooed in her boyfriend's ear.

Snorting softly, he simply traced a thumb along the nape of her neck; a hidden spot of hers. "I know, it's weird and yet, it feels right. I'm just really excited that I know who my mother is. This beats Christmas by a long shot."

The two had decided to crash in the back of the shop, neither really eager to rejoin the others at the hotel. Using the phone there, they checked in with Sikowitz who reprimanded the pair for being out so late stopping only after they revealed their discovery of the boy's mother. After confirming some other questions, he allowed them to rest and hung up.

At the moment, Jade and Liam found themselves lying on a rather large couch with the former snuggled on top of the latter. Her head rested against his chest, she could feel his steady heartbeat, soothed by his now calm energy. Slowly, but surely, she felt herself growing more tired and, given the rules of Celeste, she got up and made her way to another couch nearby, glad that it was just as comfortable as her lover's body. With a grin, she gazed at Liam, her mind filled with the memories and adventures that the two have shared until she felt herself succumbing to the night's lullaby. "Goodnight, Tiger." she yawned.

"Goodnight, my monster." he chuckled softly, her vulnerability causing him to smile.

"Liam?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you..." her tone wasn't of confidence but, from what he picked up, longing; it was almost that she sought his approval. "I mean, I'm in love with you."

She heard the light rustling of a blanket, but no words, which only made her pulse quicken while her mind scolded her for her display of weakness. Was she overreacting? Did Liam even feel the same way about her? Was it too soon?

"Jade?" she shot up, startled by his sudden response.

"What is it?" she quickly turned the tough girl switch back on. At this point, Liam was kneeling along the side of the couch. "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable but-."

"I feel the same way too,"

"Are you sure?" she raised an eyebrow, unconvinced due to the lateness of his reply. "You don't have to say it back if you don't mean it. I'll completely understand if you don't-!"

Jade West found her speech ended abruptly by a soft kiss that sent an electric shock down her spine and, though it only lasted a few seconds, for her, it felt like an eternity. Liam pulled away slowly, letting his lips drift on hers own lightly, teasing her for the unnecessary explanation.

"You talk too much," he whispered playfully, resting his forehead against her own. "I mean what I said, Jade. After all, we've gone through as friends and even romantically, I can say without fail this:" he leaned in again, pecking her lips with feather-like kisses. "I. *kiss* am. *kiss* in love. *kiss* with. *kiss* you. Don't you forget it."

Giggling, Jade nodded with the biggest off smiles appearing on her face. "I won't, Liam. I'm the luckiest girl in the world."

"Luck has nothing to do with it," he kissed her forehead, his lips grazing her ivory skin, before heading to his couch. "I prefer to thank destiny for you and Tori. Now, let's get some sleep, we have a couple of days left before we head back to Hollywood Arts and I want us to enjoy ourselves before we go."

"Alright, I'll see you in the morning." she winked before curling up under the blanket provided for her. "Night, Liam."

"Goodnight, Jade." he yawned before turning over himself.

Once more the two would find themselves the willing victims of the sandman's spells as eyelids grew heavier by the second. Soon, the room was engulfed with the soft sounds of crickets and light snoring and, just before falling into the world of dreams, Jade found herself enraptured by a single thought; it was a thought powerful enough to cause her smile to return as she closed her eyes.

'Liam's in love with me.'

* * *

 **Alright, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to say thank you all for sticking with me up to this point. Sadly, this arc is coming to an end and I'll be wrapping things up in the next chapter and making way for the next one. This was an interesting arc to write about and it took a bit longer to post due to the research I was doing to gather accurate information to use. Also, the next chapter may feel like an epilogue but, no worries, it's not the end of our story.**

 **Normally, I do a bit of explaining, but that won't be happening this time as many things will be explained in the next chapter. The others will be getting some time to shine as well and... as a thank you, I may throw in some lemons for good measure. Seeing there are several couples, there will be plenty of those to go around and work with. Finally, for those who love TorixLiam, this arc doesn't mean that Tori isn't relevant. I did want to include her, but with the direction I was heading with this arc, I couldn't properly include her in it. So, just know that she's been spending most of her time with Trina and Mercedes. Those two will also be in the next arc as well so you'll get more information about their pairing as we progress further.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and, hopefully, I'll have the next out before or on Christmas Day.**

 **Have a good day or night everyone!**


	37. Chapter 32

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 32: Dusk of the Final Day**

 ** _"Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul there is no such thing as separation."_**

 ** _― Jalaluddin Mevlana Rumi._**

* * *

The next day brought with it the dawn of new possibilities. For Celeste, it was the hope of a budding relationship with the son that she lost nearly two decades ago. Being the early bird she was, she wasn't surprised to find he and Jade were sound asleep, the former of which who was sprawled wildly under the blanket. She took a glance over at a prone Jade, her raven hair draping over her tranquil features. Thoughts of how the two became one danced in her mind but, she soon realized something of great relevance to her.

Liam's future.

He would have to make a decision about what he would do moving forward. With him being the descendant of her love, he was the rightful heir to the title of Voodoo King, but he also had a life before arriving in New Orleans. Her heart pressed, she decided to forget about that for the time being and instead focus on some other matters; one of those ideas included making breakfast for the couple.

Over an hour passed by when a pleasant scent caused Jade's nose to twitch, her stomach beginning to growl in a desire for whatever was the reason for that smell. Groggy and hungry, she managed to gather the strength needed to lift her body from the warmth of her slumber. She smacked her lips softly while trying to shake off the residual effects of unconsciousness. She stood up and soon found herself following the magical smell until she was in the kitchen where Celeste was finishing up the last few slices of bacon. What was even more interesting was how the woman was pleasantly humming without a care in the world. It was as if the previous night's events never happened.

"Do you normally stalk around silently?" her soft voice caused the girl to jump slightly.

Jade rubbed her eyes, settling on finding a seat at the counter. "Sorry, I smelled something good and wound up here. I wasn't trying to sneak around or anything."

"It's alright, dear. I wasn't serious about the stalking comment." The older woman giggled gently. "Would you like something to drink? Orange juice? Milk?"

"Coffee, please?" she quipped without delay, further inciting Celeste's amusement. "Preferably two sugars, no cream."

Nodding silently, the older woman grabbed a simple mug and poured the dark liquid inside, the aroma filling Jade with delight. She then handed the drink to the girl with two sugar cubes on the side for her to which she graciously accepted. Bringing the mug to her lips, the heated drink trickled down her throat, soothing her soul in the process.

"Oh God!" she let out an involuntary moan. "This is better than the stuff I have at home. What's in this?"

"Pure Jamaican bean, dear," she smiled warmly, removing the final slice from the skillet. "some rosemary, imported bay leaves, and possibly snail's sludge." As expected, Jade barely managed to keep herself from spewing the coffee across the room, a single drop spilling down her chin from her desperate attempt of courtesy. The room would erupt fill with the sound laughter as Jade rolled her eyes, realizing she'd fallen for the woman's joke.

"I see where Liam get's his sense of humor from now." the goth wiped her lips with her shirt sleeve.

"My apologies," she wiped a tear from her eye, feeling a little guilty about the result of her teasing. "I hope I didn't ruin your appetite. I was trying to lighten up the mood."

Picking up on the dampening vibe, Jade waved off the implied disinterest. "It's alright. Actually, it's one of the things I love about him."

"I shouldn't be surprised given your actions last night," she grabbed a sausage link, stuffing it in her mouth without a care. "I'm still surprised that you would sacrifice your own life, without hesitation, to stop my sister."

"It wasn't anything, really." Jade quickly turned her head, her dark hair shielding her blush from view. "Like I said, I care for Liam deeply, so it was a no-brainer. I just did what I know he would've done if the roles were reversed."

The corners of her eyes crinkled, and her lips twitched. "You did mention that you both have endured many difficult moments together. Would you mind telling me a bit about them, if you don't mind?"

Azure looked back to the meet the duality of amethyst and emerald orbs, sincerity swirling behind the latter.

"Alright, but we may be here a while."

The woman grabbed a prepared plate and set it in front of the girl before taking a seat on the other side of the counter with a large smile. "We have time."

As time went on, Lucille had finally arrived at the shop, opting to take the back way through the alley. After the events of the previous night, she opted to remain with Remy at his family's estate until morning. With her savior in tow, she entered the eerie domain only to find an unexpected guest staring back at them like a deer in headlights. Wide, green orbs locked on the two, their face devoid of any discernable feature other than surprise. From the looks of things, in Remy's eyes at least, the male appeared to have just woken up as his dreadlocks were draped over his face like a wild man. In Lucille's case, she felt her heart skip a beat as she ascertained the identity of the young man with relative ease, punctuated by her lips twitching upward.

"Mind telling us what you're doing here, mate?" The Cajun's brows drooped, creating a tense vibe towards the unknown boy; a fact that didn't go unnoticed by the previously absent minded male. "Or do I have to show you the door the hard way?"

Rolling his eyes, the darker kid scoffed at the threat made by the lanky individual standing to Lucille. "Not that it's any of YOUR business, but, I'm looking for my mom."

"Then you're in the wrong place, boy." his words sliced through the armor of his impending opponent, a point made clearer by his cocky smirk. "I hear the lost and found is on the other side of town."

"Remy!"

"Call me boy again," he snarled viciously, his emerald eyes suddenly turning to pitch blackness. "and you'll find yourself in the hospital."

"Try it... bo- OW!" Remy howled after feeling the hard fist of Lucille crack against the top of his head, forcing him to cower like a scalded dog. "What'd you do that for?"

"Leave Liam alone, Remy!" she rubbed her now aching hand, gritting her teeth from both the blow and the pompous attitude of her childhood friend. "Your sense of 'justice' will be the end of you, I swear."

"Wait? You know this kid?" he pointed at the younger male, who was none too pleased to be profiled by this stranger. "You could've said something, cher..."

She ignored his whining, she walked towards the confused Liam who stood there slackjawed at her sheer strength. This swiftly turned into a tiny sliver of worry that she'd attack him in a similar fashion. A bead of sweat made its descent down his forehead as her unreadable expression drew nearer. When she finally stopped, the young woman tilted her head, her nose flaring slightly, much to his chagrin. Despite all of this, he maintained his composure, mostly due to the dapper gentleman behind them; he didn't want him to see any sign of weakness.

"Liam!" she pulled him into a tight hug, her voice reminding him of a certain unicorn loving redhead. "I'm so happy to see you're safe!" His reply was nothing more than excitable mumbles as he once again found himself ensnared in her luscious bosom. As he flailed helplessly, Lucille simply pulled him closer, showing off her otherworldly strength crushing him even more under the large mounds of flesh on her chest. "I wish you had called first! I would've gotten cleaned up and put on something more... revealing." she nuzzled his head, as his escape attempts slowly died down, no doubt due to oxygen deprivation.

"I'd advise against it, watermelon tits," a voice, all too recognizable, made her brows twitch. "I don't mommy dearest would approve of incest in the family."

"Oh good, you're here?" Lucille droned, her demeanor shift suddenly morphing into one of anger. "Just when things were going my way."

Leaning against the door frame, Jade crossed her arms over her chest, every part of her exuding tranquility, but, her azure orbs told a different story. A stark contrast to her somber conduct, the murkiness dancing within her gates gave a clear account of how dangerous a game the woman smothering her boyfriend was playing. It was one of her natural traits that hadn't been displayed fully around Lucille due to her always being pushed by the seductive maiden. Seeing her boyfriend nearly limp under her breasts brought a slew of dastardly thoughts into her mind.

"If you don't let go of my boyfriend, I can come up with several things going your way," her voice, sweet as honey, also held a venomous flavor that blended perfectly. "like my fist, for starters." Remy and Lucille watched as the goth pushed off of the door frame, the tension growing more palpable by the second. "Or how about my boot?" Her pupils dilated, her focus and intent becoming closer to reality.

"I'd love to see you try," the darker woman spat, her lips twitching at the supposed challenge laid down by Jade. "We both know that you couldn't touch me. My spells would wipe you out before you take another step."

"I bet it could, but, I don't have to touch you to beat you," she raised an eyebrow mockingly, no doubt mimicking the bokor's seductive style. "I've already won."

"What are you talking about?" Lucille and Remy both scrunched their faces at her when Celeste walked through the curtain.

"I can answer that after you let the boy up for air." she remarked casually, her eyes glued to the 'hug' shared between her daughter and Liam. Complying with her mother's wishes, the four resisted the urge to react as Liam finally inhaled the sweet taste of air that had been taken from him moments prior. Jade herself had to concentrate extremely hard to not break down into tears laughing at the amusing idea of a cartoon version of his soul floating out of his mouth as he lied on the ground taking deep breaths. "I swear, Lucille, he's a human being, not a teddy bear."

"Could've fooled me..." she muttered under her breath, catching herself when she noticed the soft but stern look coming from the older woman. "Sorry..."

She sighed before leading the four into the living room behind the curtain where she ushered them all to have a seat. Remy sat on the couch nearest to the sleeping quarters alongside Lucille while Liam & Jade sat on the opposite couch closest to Celeste, the latter making sure to put enough distance between her boyfriend and the pair.

"Now, I know some of you may have some questions after what happened last night," she was met with a series of nods. "Lucille, you asked me why it was so important for us to rescue this young man. Well, I wasn't lying when I mentioned that he was important to us all." several emotions danced behind the younger woman's eyes, none of which were easily discernable for Celeste. "The real reason I was so determined for us to rescue Liam is that he's my son and that means..."

"Liam and I are brother and sister," she placed a hand over her mouth, turning her head to stare at the equally shocked boy across the room. "So that means..."

"You've been lusting after your own sibling," Jade took the moment to inject her two cents, her eyes watering from the giggle that tickled her throat. It would take a moment for Lucille would react properly, her dark bronze features now a ghost of its normal shade as she stared at nothing in particular. On her right, Liam stared at the floor, thankful that his hair hid whatever was present on his face at the moment. The reality of not only having a mother but now, a sister too? This was a bit much to take in for the seventeen-year-old.

Celeste shot Jade a look of disapproval, but it did little to settle the warring feelings within the two who now refused to even look at one another. Like Liam, she had never known that she had a sibling let alone one that had grown to be as attractive as he was. Amethyst/Emerald orbs blinked back tears of shame and awkwardness. Clutching the hem of her shirt, she shot up from her seat, taking off up a flight of stairs despite her mother's best attempts to reach her.

"I was afraid this would happen," the elder bowed her head. "I should probably go up and talk to her."

"No..." Everyone turned to the young man, Jade the most surprised at his sudden outburst. "I'll go. She might listen to me."

"Liam..." the goth stood up, meeting her lover's reassuring gaze.

"It'll be alright, Jade. We're both feeling pretty weird about this revelation so I probably have the best chance of her opening up about this. his palms rested on her shoulders gently. He then leaned closer until his lips barely touched her ear. "We'll talk about your 'punishment' when we get back, my monster."

Though it was only a whisper, his words managed to steal any bravado the girl possessed as she found herself frozen in place, every part of her shivering. She was used to his 'threats' and yet, there was something completely different about his tone. There was something about Liam's statement that made her knees weak and, whether she'd admit it or not, she loved it; the sense of primality despite the feather-like touch within each word spoken.

"Are you alright, Jade?" Celeste's voice thankfully pulled her from her inner musings into the abyss of lust.

"Oh, yeah..." she wrapped her arms around her torso, her lips now lifted into a sardonic smirk, her voice a bit shaky at best.

"Come, child, let's turn our attention to something more pleasant. You can't fool this old woman," she teased in hopes of lifting the girl's spirits. "Are you coming, Remy?"

"Actually, Madame Celeste," he took off his hat allowing his light brown locks to fall freely. "There's something I need to tell you as well."

* * *

After many flights of stairs, Liam found himself atop the roof of the double shop where the figure of his desire target sat on the edge farthest from him. His throat felt dry as he felt as if the weight of the world had come crashing down on him. His pulse drummed harder in his chest, threatening to shatter the ribs surrounding them as he took a few steps towards the woman, he'd just found out to be his kin.

"Go away..." his hands trembled at the sudden coldness of her words.

This didn't deter him though as he pressed forward. "We need to talk, Lucille."

"I don't want to talk about this right now."

"Then listen to what I have to say!" his sudden outburst took even him by surprise considering the amount of emotion the poured out. It was clear that he wasn't taking no for an answer as his eyes locked onto her back, searing into her soul. He took another hesitant step towards her, watching her tense up with each sound of his shoes against the concrete beneath his feet. "I know what you're feeling right now. You feel like some type of freak for putting the moves on me. I can understand that feeling, you hoping that things could be something more only to find out that you're connected to them in a way that prevents you from achieving that."

"So suddenly you're a telepath?" her bitterness slithered through her lips, constricting the air around her with each breath she took.

"More like an empath," he shoved his hands into his pocket, trying his hardest not to succumb to the burning in his stomach. "I can pick up emotions of others around me. It makes for a great bullshit detector."

"You think this is a joke?!" she turned around, revealing the hot trails of suffering and anguish that continued to sting her eyes; her words, now like lead in her throat as she uttered them."You think it's fun to make fun of me like your girlfriend does?! What more could you want from me?! Maybe you'd like to rub it in my face how I was a creep around my supposed baby brother, is that it?"

The immediate silence rang louder than any amount of yelling or screaming ever could as the two remained in their respective spots. Lost in the void of sound, Liam felt her every word penetrate him like a sharpened knife, his mind absently absorbing the sheer ferocity from Lucille. Everything inside of his head screamed for him to turn around and leave the brooding Lucille to her own devices but his conscious argued that he stay. He was used to other's giving up on him, from his past with Trina, to others in his life that viewed him as nothing more than a potential court case waiting to happen in his younger years. Fists clenched tightly as his breath grew more haggard from the intense pain welling up from within.

"Are you done?" he whispered, biting his lip as a last-ditch effort for him to control his temper.

"I was going to ask you the same thing." she scoffed, her cold glare triggering something in him that hadn't been felt since his encounters with Trina Vega some years prior. "Beat it, kid..."

"Wow," his chuckle oozed with sarcasm. "you really are as self-righteous as they come, aren't you?" This was enough to force Lucille's body to twist completely around until she was completely facing the younger male. "You think you're the only one affected by this? Are you really so selfish that you'd abandon me just like nearly everyone before you? He spoke slowly as his own gaze dulled. "I don't know all that you've endured prior to meeting you but, I can admit that. In spite of that, I'm willing to find out and learn more about that which connects us together but here you are, my supposed older sister and you're acting as if you're the younger one? You have no idea the hell I've endured and you don't seem to care, do you?"

His accusations didn't fall on deaf ears for once as Lucille, while still trying to hold onto her steely gaze, averted her eyes from the piercing glare of her own flesh and blood as his words took their effect on her. "Look I-"

"You don't know what it was like getting beaten up as a child just because you looked different only to come home and get the same treatment from your alleged guardian! I wasn't supposed to be anything more than a statistic but, I was given a chance that changed my life; a chance that's led to this very moment. I've been taken advantage of by many I thought cared about me and yet, I'm still trying to love as if nothing's happened. Now, I find out that my mother is alive and loves me enough to risk her life to save me from becoming a sacrifice and what's more, I have a beautiful sister only to hear that she wants nothing to do with me because she couldn't get her way?!"

"You don't know what it was like for me either!" she erupted, her desperation finally breaking through the fortress of anger built by Liam. "All of my life, I've felt alone in this world. Like you, I didn't know my father. I was picked on for being different and aside from Remy, I was isolated. Can you imagine a life where everything revolves around being a well-polished voodoo practitioner?! No time for friends or love, no time to discover your identity or what your purpose in life could be outside of voodoo? It's hell, Liam! Between that and racism here in New Orleans, forgive me if I wanted to enjoy some fantasy of love... Do you even know what that feels like?"

"I do actually." his reply stopped her in her tracks.

His lips twitch with a question, but it drops silently as he rocked his body slightly. The silence once again reclaimed its grasp on the siblings with only the sounds of the gulls keeping them tethered to the situation at hand. Both took in the heaviness from the other, each shrouded in mystery and darkness. Liam dragged a deep breath from the warm air around them and looked at the slightly older woman in front of him, his heart beginning to shatter at her rebuttal.

"I'm sorry," his mouth parted just enough for the words to be heard. "It seems that we both have had a rough life."

"You're right, we have." she managed a ghost of a laugh. "I guess, when you're alone, you forget that there are others who understand your trials."

"You make a good point," he ran a hand through his locs, the wave of awkwardness slowly disappearing. "I don't think I could've made it had it not been for my significant others. They're the ones who helped me to see what you are now."

Beginning to see this young man in a different light, Lucille couldn't help but giggle at the truth behind his wisdom. "I find it hard to believe that girl contributed to your growth as a man." She half-expected for him to come back with some snarky comment but instead, she was greeted by him snorting. "What?"

"It's funny, sometimes, I think the same thing myself," he shrugged. "If I hadn't been there to experience it, I might've agreed with you, sis."

"You called me sis..." she gasped.

"Well, you are my sister so, it seems fitting. Don't you agree?"

Tapping her chin, she remained silent while closing the distance between them, each step reminding the boy of her earlier attempt at smothering him with affection. Her arms outstretched, she captured him before he could act fast enough but this time, her embrace was much more reserved and natural. His eyes widened at the sudden display, his eyes once more welling up with pent-up need from his adolescent years as his inner child finally broke free. Sensing something amiss, Lucille began to pull away only to have her movement halted by his arms wrapping around her. His quiet sobs only added to the confirmation for love as she rubbed his back, her own wet crystals descending down her cheek.

They'd remain like that for only minutes, but to them both, it felt like a much needed eternity. She rubbed his back, feeling him shudder from her light touch; All the pain from his childhood flowing out like water and she was his life preserver. Sure, she was still a little bit disappointed that any avenue for a romance between them was no longer accessible, but she knew that she'd get over it in time. Right now, she wanted to be what he needed the most, a big sister that loved him unconditionally, and she would give him that in spades as she too released her inner turmoil.

The two would continue this until both were nearly drained from the emotional detox. As they pulled apart, they took a moment to compose themselves before creating a bit of distance for them to regain their bearings. Heated beams kissed their skin as they observed one another with a new mindset. For Lucille, she was staring at the shining eyes of her younger brother, her soul beckoning her to become more than a sister in title only. She was his protector, a constant reminder of his newfound discovery of love and affection from a family he previously never knew existed. For Liam, he was gazing back at his big sister, his true link in blood that solidified his emotional craving in terms of kin. She was his older sister and his spirit couldn't help but leap for joy at the idea of having someone that was truly eager to love and be loved in return as a familial unit. He swore to love and show himself deserving of having such a wonderful woman as his biological sister.

His mind reminded him of Ahrya, his 'adopted' sibling, but there was something about having his big sister here with him that truly gave him a meaning of what it meant to be a true family.

"Liam!" a voice not foreign to the two could be heard from the rooftop entrance. "Are you still up here?" As Jade poked her head out, she noticed the brother-sister duo grinning at her. Without a second thought, she went into a snarky mood, albeit with a touch of humor added on. "Oh good, you two made up. Would you like a cookie or some cake to celebrate?"

Before either could respond the collective sound of growling stomachs filled their ears for a few seconds-a few long seconds away-while the goth rolled her eyes playfully.

"I'll tell mother-in-law to buy both on the way to the beach."

Though they wanted to inquire more, Jade had disappeared, making her descent down the rather long flight of stairs, leaving the newly formed siblings to silently ask an important question:

"What do you mean 'mother-in-law'?" They called out, giving chase soon after.

* * *

The day continued like normal by the time Sikowitz and the gang arrived at the shop to pick everyone up. Including Trina and Mercedes, the bus still managed to retain some degree of comfort for the passengers. Liam wasted little time in introducing the three to his teacher and friends; no one more so than Tori Vega. Despite not knowing anyone aside from her brother and Jade, Lucille found herself welcomed by everyone, especially one Beck Oliver, who found himself unable to tear his coal eyes from the ebony beauty. To say he was smitten by her would be an understatement as his entire focus was on the slightly older woman throughout the trip.

It didn't take long for them to arrive and set up for the special get together. With the sun still pretty high up in the sky, the group chose to enjoy themselves to the fullest. Andre, Cat, & Beck teamed up to take on Trina, Mercedes, & Remy in a few rounds of volleyball, with the latter team quickly gaining an early advantage in the first game. Celeste chose to chaperone the fun alongside Erwin Sikowitz, trading secrets about how to maximize the calming effects of coconuts and herbal medicine, much to the teacher's delight. This left Liam, Tori, Jade, and his sister, Lucille, the former two were busy splashing each other while the latter two decided to take a moment to rest on the shore.

"Wow, it's been so long since I've been to the beach and relaxed," Lucille exhaled graciously, her chest lifting and falling noticeably while she adjusted her one-piece bathing suit. "It feels good to just kick back every once and awhile."

Giggling softly, Tori tucked a small tussle of her wet hair behind her ear. "I take it you don't get out much, huh?"

The Latina watched the woman shake her head, silent yet volumes are spoken by the gesture. "It's difficult when you're running a business. There's a lot needed to be done and little time to do it with."

"That sucks," she turned her honey orbs towards the warm sand that covered her toes. "It sounds like it's more of a burden than anything." She voice drifted off in the breeze, independent of much thought behind the offhanded remark until it had already escaped her lips. "I... I'm sorry... I didn't-"

"No offense taken, Tori," Lucille chuckles softly, her smile only growing in size in hopes of calming the obviously nervous girl next to her. "You actually made an honest observation. There's nothing wrong with giving your opinion on something."

Tori simply sighed softly, her demeanor steadily turning gloomier, contrasting the cloudless skies. "I guess you're right."

Lucille tilted her head slightly while her lips drooped in concern towards the tan girl. "There's something else troubling you, isn't there?" She observed closely, like a microscope, for any sign of confirmation of her inquiry. She would find in it in several ways, the first being her bottom lip slightly jut out followed by a faint quiver. Her stunning eyes suddenly appeared to have dulled as a result as well. "I understand if you don't feel comfortable enough to tell me, but, if I may give you some advice," she placed a hand on the slender girl's shoulder as she turned her head in her direction. "If you're worried about my brother's feelings about you, I suggest that you just tell him, one-on-one. Don't suffer in silence, or you'll miss out on what life has to offer you."

Stunned, Tori Vega felt any form of denial crumble before she could even fathom a response. Her eyebrows dip enough for Lucille to notice, a clear indication that she had hit the nail on the head.

"You must be psychic," she laughed softly, though there was little joy in it.

"Not really. I'm just good at picking up vibes and your chakras are way out of line," Leaning her body closer, she captured the sullen teen in a warm hug to which she was more than happy for Tori to reciprocate. "You need to speak up for yourself, or else you'll continue to believe that you're not appreciated in your relationship. Trust me, you'll feel so much better once you make your intentions known. Also, you may want to stop comparing yourself to others; Liam likes you for you, not for who you could be."

"Thank you, Lucille!" she smiled brightly, pushing away the dark clouds that plagued her emotionally. "I can see why Liam's beyond happy to have you as a sister."

Resisting the urge to tear up, Lucille instead pointed to the pair waving at them. "I suggest you go and have some fun, and stop overthinking." The atmosphere around them returned to normal when Tori rushed off without another word to join her significant others in the water, allowing Lucille the opportunity to turn her attention to a different item on her agenda. Cutting her gaze towards the pier, her full lips twisted upward. "Are you going to keep hiding, or are you going to come over?"

As she guessed, a certain young man with gray orbs gradually walked from behind one of the support beams, a sheepish look etched on his face from having been caught.

"H-how long have you known I.. I was there?" he stammered.

"Ever since you finished that fourth game of volleyball, you little pervert." Despite her chastising tone, it was clear that her words lacked the harshness necessary to convince him that he was in serious trouble. "You're Beck, right?" Despite his normally cool style, he was acting uncharacteristically nervous, something she found more than amusing. "Care to tell me why you've been spying on me all of this time?"

"W- well um... I uh.." His voice cracked, chipping away like the shards of a broken mirror. Lucille's patience was being tested as evident by the raised eyebrow she displayed while Beck tried to formulate some coherent sentence. His heartbeat increased when she continued to play with him, like a cat teasing the desperate mouse trapped in its clutches.

"Take a deep breath, alright?" The sudden shift in her tone seemed to do the trick as he followed her instruction. A smirk finds its way onto her lips, growing more seductive by the second as she pats the hot grains next to her. Not wanting to push his luck, Beck complied though, he allowed enough space between them just in case he said or did something that could make him look foolish in front of the attractive girl. "See? I don't bite unless you ask nicely." Her words sent a cool chill throughout his body, ignoring the heat pressing against his own skin. His mind began to turn over as there were so many things that crossed his mind as he did his best to keep his eyes from drifting to her voluptuous figure. "So now you've got nothing to say?"

"No, I mean... I'm just..." he stammered once more but, this time he took a deep breath. "It's been a while since I've been attracted to someone as gorgeous as you, Lucille."

Tapping her chin, she found no falsehood in his words as his face grew flush from his confession. "So, you're attracted to me? Why not prove it?"

Lost in the moment, his mind completely shut down at the questions directed at him. "What? Seriously?" he looked at her, eyes wide as a deer caught in headlights. "I mean, I'd like that but..."

"You're worried about my brother, aren't you?"

If this were a game show, she'd just asked the million dollar question. Beck, not wanting to give off the wrong signal nodded but, as with Tori previously, she knew there was more that he wasn't telling her. "What's wrong, Beck?" He gazed at her, his orbs asking how she figured that to be. "Your eyes say it all. You and Liam have history and I'm willing to bet that it's not all positive. Right?" Once more his head idly nodded to her question. "Then, why not tell me?"

"Because it involves his other sister..." he exhaled sharply as if it had literally caused him physical pain.

She saw the pain and frustration building behind his eyes, his face scrunching up into a dark scowl. "Other sister?" her tone was one of genuine curiosity. "That's the second time I've heard about this 'other sister' belonging to Liam. Please tell me, Beck."

He took a moment, checking every section of his surroundings before returning to Lucille. "If I tell you, you have to swear that you won't tell Liam." Disheartenment shrouding his features, forcing her to flinch just a little bit. He felt a twinge of comfort return when she nodded and accepted the terms. "Her name is Ahrya, she's about a few months younger than Liam and she has violet eyes that accentuate her light skin. She's the girl I'm talking about."

"That doesn't make any sense though," she interrupted him, her voice a tad over a whisper. "Everyone of us has dark skin so unless she's adopted, she couldn't be related to us; well, at least not as his sister. Our father passed away when he was barely a year old so something doesn't add up here."

This revelation forced Beck into a petrified state, his blood running cold at Lucille's words. He studied her face, hoping to find some kind of type of inconsistency that could make things fit but, her sincere expression included, he would only feel a sense of dread and despair arise within his soul. His mouth felt dry and his face grew sickly pale which alarmed the older girl. "Are you sure that she's not his sister?"

"My mother just revealed earlier today our familial ties and the one you described doesn't fit the description of another child of hers. What's so wrong with this girl, besides her fake claims to be Liam's sibling? You're acting like she's a monster."

He scoffed maliciously, his glare growing more sinister. "Being a monster would be an insult to monsters everywhere. That girl is a demon personified..."

The conversation continued with Beck explaining the two's arrival to Hollywood Arts, to her dating a fellow student back home and finally, her blackmailing him to keep tabs on Liam, Jade, and Tori. The last part was what seemed to break his resolve as he further explained his growing friendship with her brother from their time in Yerba to the current day. So many emotions danced inside of her heart but there were two things she knew: 1. Beck was as much a victim as he was a perpetrator in this situation and that he was not happy about his current position with the girl. 2. Whoever this girl was had a sick and unhealthy obsession with Liam that could escalate into something far beyond their control... Given her attitude during the past couple of weeks, she should know.

"We need to talk to my mother tonight, after this party. I'm sure she can give us some information about what's really going on."

"Are you sure? I was specifically told not to let Liam know what's going on..." he pleaded only to feel a warm palm upon his broad shoulders followed by the warmest smile he'd seen in a long time.

"I promise, we'll get things worked out before you all leave in the morning."

* * *

Several hours passed and the sun began making its departure behind the many buildings by the time the custom bus arrived back at the hotel. For the gang, most of them were eager to experience the sights and sounds of Mardi Gras with only a few opting to skip the festivities. For Liam & Jade, it was obvious why and Tori's inclusion was nothing short of expected. What was surprising was Beck's surprising 'interest' in returning to the voodoo shop with Lucille and Celeste while Remy chose to get to know Liam's friends a bit more while enjoying the fanfare himself.

Within the depths of the shop, Beck sat patiently, awaiting any answers to his torment. Meanwhile, Lucille and her mother had spent the time searching family records for an Ahrya only to come up with little to no results. From birth certificates to spiritual methods, they yielded nothing to match a face to the girl allegedly calling herself his sister. It wasn't until, by sheer coincidence, Beck's phone went off with a jingle all too infamous to him. Pulling out the device, his eyes grew bulbous when a thought occurred to him.

He had a photo of her.

Searching through his gallery, he found an appropriate image, showing it off to the duo. Surprisingly, they both recognized the figure revealed to them. Everything about her features only increased the uncomfortable Deja' Vu for Celeste, her body moving on instinct as she dug into one drawer in particular. She later pulled out an old portrait, one that revealed her and her now disgraced sister, Cecilia.

That girl is not Liam's kin, she's a spiritual copy of my sister. If she was living with my son all of this time, then that means-."

"That shade must've been keeping an eye on baby brother all of this time," Lucille added before turning back to a confused Beck Oliver. "Has anything weird been happening that could involve that girl and have you had any direct connection with her?"

His mind searched through months of memories, timeless moments of greatness and pain made him shudder until one night came to the forefront of his brain.

"Halloween night..." he shot up from the stool he'd been resting on. "On that night, she had our friend Robbie buy some strange liquid so he could spike the punch during Tori's Halloween party. It turned out, at first, that it was nothing more than a bunch of aphrodisiacs but it became something far worse as Tori, Jade, Cat, and Ahrya herself became possessed by succubi that hunted us down for our souls."

"A demonic summoning..." Celeste surmised. "Anything else?"

Nodding diligently, he resumed. "While they started chasing us each, their attention later turned to Liam's soul, so I convinced the others to split up to see if my theory was correct. Sure enough, all four girls wound up chasing Liam and me, leaving Andre and Robbie to escape; they had an unquenchable thirst for his soul and mine by extension, had it not been for Jade fighting back, and the sun coming up, who knows what would've happened." his face lit up from the haunting memories but Beck simply ran a hand through his majestic hair before continuing. "To answer your second question, Ahrya has been using me for sex frequently, the only break I've had being this trip to New Orleans."

The two women exchanged glances before coming to the same conclusion.

"Beck, we need you to remove your shirt and lie on the bed," as expected he looked at them as if they'd lost their minds. "We need to cleanse your chakras and soul from whatever she may have implanted in you all of this time. Your aura is severely polluted..."

Skepticism flashed behind his onyx eyes but he didn't try to resist; he wouldn't do that so long as it meant that it meant being rid of whatever subliminal influence was lurking inside of him. As he lied on the plush furniture, he took one more look at Lucille, registering the worry masking her lovely face. He swallowed hard as the older woman came into view. The last thing he remembered that night was sharp agony piercing through his midsection and soon after, darkness. As he drifted into unconsciousness, he could've sworn that he heard Lucille's sweet voice filling his auditory.

"Libère ton Coeur, amour."

* * *

 **Warning! Mature Scene... skip if sex grosses you out.**

For Liam, his night would be spent lying shirtless on the bed he shared with his lovely ladies. At the moment, he was alone in the room while Tori and Jade conversed about something privately on the balcony. For a rather short vacation from L.A., he had to admit that it was nothing short of eventful but, he could stand to spend the final two weeks at home in the 'peace' of his familiar surroundings. His mind proceeded to recount the events of meeting the women whom he would later learn were his biological family, to finding out he was voodoo royalty (a fact that Jade would definitely use to her advantage somewhere down the road). Despite all that happened, his lips would settle into a soft smile. There was only one thing that seemed to be off...

"Tiger?"

'Uh-oh...' he groaned in his mind, refusing to lift his eyelids. "Yeah? What's up?"

Jade crossed her arms, not pleased with his carefree demeanor at the moment, though she'd settle on letting things play out for the time being. "Tori has something she'd like to say to you. I'd think it'd be in your best interest to listen."

Against his own feelings, the ebony boy dragged his heavy body into an upright position, the traces of fatigue visible by the fading black bags under his eyes. He missed the movements of the goth as he fixed his gaze on the Latina in front of him. "What's on your mind, Tori?" Despite her immediate silence, Liam quickly picked up that she was troubled by something. Her eyes pooled with wet misery as she bit her lip softly. "Whatever it is, you can tell me, querida."

This was it; her trigger...

Like an uncaged animal, she hopped on top of the unprepared Liam, capturing his lips with her own. Her fingers got lost in the thick black locs, tugging slightly as her free hand caressed his exposed torso. In the midst of this, he could feel her worry, her inner turmoil spilling on his flesh as she deepened the kiss, asserting her claim at dominance, daring him to challenge her. Wherever this was going, it was clear that she was going to leading him along the way. The need for air soon became too great, forcing Tori to pull away but not without biting and pulling his bottom lip, her second act as leader of this night.

"Tonight, you belong to me." her tone, while Liam could tell it was hers, he also detected a darker, more lustful presence behind her declaration. "Jade," The ivory girl smirked, grateful that she was going to be granted participation. "would you mind checking the patient?" her hair clung to her face, making her appear more wild and seductive than before, a complete contrast from the innocent girl they'd both come to know and love. Whatever this was, had finally been unleashed in full force.

"With pleasure, Vega." her azure eyes darkened, lust shrouding her orbs as well. She crawled to the end of the bed where Liam's lower half remained in place. Her mind taking her to another place, she untied the drawstring to his jogging pants savoring the print under the gray material. She licked her lips as the bulge grew longer and harder, almost to a point where Jade thought it wouldn't stop; it was a thought that she relished greatly as her sexual hunger took over. "I swear, it just gets bigger every time I see it."

"Wait, what's going onmmMMPH!" his demand for answers was halted when he felt something soft push past his lips. That soft thing, in particular, was one of Tori's breasts stuffing his mouth.

"I didn't give you permission to speak, did I?" she took his muffled jabbering as a no, the sound causing her to feel something she'd never thought possible: pleasure in control. Leaning towards him, she guided her tit deeper into his mouth as he instinctively teased her nipple. "Good, you're a quick learner, baby," she whispered, her desire pouring out freely. Meanwhile, Jade had ceased her visual marveling of his sizable package, now clutching the thick member in his soft hand. Unlike Tori, Liam knew that his gothic lover had a dominant streak that included sensual torture such as her lightly grazing his currently swollen head with her feather-like caress. Soon, the room began to fill with soft moans from their boyfriend as he endured the combined efforts of tori force feeding him while Jade did what she did best, make him lose his mind...

Twitching and throbbing, Jade was enchanted at how something so large was easily handled by her tactics. Soon enough, she grew bored of the child's play when she finally licked lips prior to leaving gentle kisses along the length of his shaft, further adding to his pent-up frustration. He did his best to look up at Tori, succeeding only in observing her soft smooth skin as she explored his features, gently encouraging him to keep going.

'Curse my tired body!' he mentally screamed.

To his bewilderment, she removed her bosom from his lips, leaving a trail of saliva from his 'nursing' before twisting her slim body over his face. Dazed and unable to process a coherent thought, he simply watched as she lowered her rear until her flower was positioned perfectly over his face. His moans vibrated through her, sending a shockwave through her lower half, eliciting a gasp from his normally sweet girlfriend. This would persist as she and Jade shared his engorged sex licking and sharing a sloppy kiss while sucking on his most sensitive spot. To make matters worse, he felt her legs wrap around his arms, removing any chance of him overpowering her completely.

"Mmmm... eat me Liam!" she whimpered, her tone now heavy with a need that only he could fulfill right now. "Eat my pussy, baby!"

She then returned her attention to his 'little friend' while Jade ran her tongue across any spot that was left unattended. This soon pushed Liam over the edge as he lost himself in his first orgasm. The intense wave of pleasure hit rocked his body in ways he hadn't felt before but he didn't stop, his own tongue expertly flicking her pleasure spot. He could feel her own sexual release approaching, prompting him to do everything from humming to writing the alphabet until he was rewarded with the sweet nectar from her honey pot flood his mouth. The intensity was so great, Tori almost feared she'd lost her voice when no sound escaped her lips. Once the intense wave subsided, she struggled to tear herself from his mouth.

"T- That was... amazing..." he huffed only to be silenced once more, this time with Jade's pool of moisture. He would soon see that, while Tori was facing away from him when she was in that position, Jade was more than willing to face the object of her affection, her sparkling sapphires gleaming in the moonlight as she watched him devour her mound with such vigor, that she wasn't sure if she would last very long. Tori climbed on top of her occupied boyfriend, more than happy that, despite his massive eruption, he was still hard as a rock. She ripped herself from the hypnotic appendage just enough to get on top and, as one final act of the creature lurking within her loins, she dropped herself onto his staff so agonizingly slow, neither could tell if this action had an end. She held her breath and waited for the pain as he entered her but luckily there was none just an overwhelming feeling of pleasure

"Jade was right," she managed to whimper, the first sign of the old Tori returning. "It's so huge."

She closed her eyes, better savoring the feeling of being stretched by the man she loved more than any that came before him. Her mind took her to places she'd only heard about in books as she bounced on him gingerly at first. Jade, on the other hand, was riding Liam's face like a rodeo, her pink pearl now stimulated to the point that every inch of her from the waist down was shaking violently and yet, she wouldn't stop. Her ivory breast bounced in sync while she rolled her hips. Liam, for his part, cupped her ass, squeezing and smacking the soft flesh resting on his face.

Sexual delight encompassed the room, moans, and flesh slapping against one another creating an orgasmic symphony with Tori Vega, Jade West, & Liam Patterson as its composures. Each knew what the other wanted and each was more than eager to push the other to the highest of heights. That familiar feeling hit Liam, who grew fearful of what could happen without protection but it wouldn't matter for long as his arousal gave way spilling inside the Latina like shots from a gun filling her to the brim with his seed. He couldn't worry about the consequences right now, he had something else at the moment that required his attention as Jade gripped his face, no doubt preparing to release her own climax.

"LIAM!" she cried out, her voice echoing into the night, soon to be lost in the wind as the floodgates opened, her very essence spilling out in torrents that threatened to drown the poor boy with its large dosages. Her breath nearly stolen, she soon found herself seeing stars as she was forced to lie next to the well-fed young man next to her.

This left Tori, who was doing her best to slide off of his now shrinking manhood, more than satisfied by what she'd experienced on this night. Crawling on his left side, she barely managed to drag the covers over the exposed forms of her and her partners before cuddling closer to her exhausted boyfriend. With Jade on his other side, he felt his body finally succumb to the effects of such an impactful task.

"Tori... Are..."

"It's okay, I'm on the pill." she giggled, the second sign that whatever had possessed her was now put to rest.

"That's a relief," Jade, too tired to put any effort in her comment, mumbled. "The last thing we need right now is another Vega running around."

The trio exchanged their final series of kisses before falling prey to their great need for sleep.

 ***Mature Scene End***

* * *

The dawn of a new day had arrived, banishing the shadows of the midnight hour with the suns warm rays. Somehow, everyone was able to sleep in except Liam who was restless around eight o' clock. He decided to sneak off and spend some time with his family before it would be time to go back home. A part of his heart felt empty again, knowing that he had found people that loved him dearly only to have to say goodbye so soon after. As if reading his mind, he found both Lucille and his mother, Celeste preparing to open up shop for the day when he arrived.

They took what little time remained to express their love and thankfulness for each other by having a big breakfast and discussing what their plans would be afterward. Liam mentioned something about a few colleges in California that wanted him on their scholarship programs but, also that he was keeping his options open. It was then revealed that Lucille was planning on visiting Los Angeles sometime in the coming months which only made her brother's heart jump for joy. For Celeste, while she would still maintain the shop, she would go with Lucille to visit as well, hopefully in time for graduation.

From there, they exchanged phone numbers and, for Liam and Lucille, they exchanged email addresses before he received a text from both Tori and Jade, letting him know that they were checking out and preparing to leave.

Instantly, he felt a great sorrow cover him, like storm clouds raining down on him. Of course, like any loving mother, Celeste wrapped her son in the biggest hug she could muster while he sobbed silently, clutching at the fabric of her clothes like a toddler being told they couldn't have any dessert. She whispered sweet blessings over him and even gave him a bag filled with some herbs, books, and spiritual items that would at least give him a taste of his heritage. With that, they made their way back to the hotel where Sikowitz and the others patiently awaited his arrival.

As he prepared to leave his newfound family, the teacher stopped him.

"Hold it, my boy! You can't leave without some mementos!" he chuckled brightly, pulling out a digital camera from his jeans. "Alright, let's get some big smiles!"

Several pictures were taken, each on creating and holding a different memory.

*click*

Tori, Jade, Cat, Celeste, & Lucille.

*click*

Liam, Beck, Andre, & Sikowitz.

*click*

Different pictures were taken until all the memory was used up, leaving one final mission.

"Liam could you loan us your phone?" the coconut loving man extended a hand to the confused teen.

"Um, sure..." as he did so, he was then pulled into a big hug by his mother and sister, tears of love falling with no resistance.

He struck a few pose a with his mom individually first, the most memorable one being when she gave him another hug and a kiss on the cheek. When it came to Lucille, they did the same thing only, her most memorable photo was of her kissing his forehead, an act that, up to this point, he'd been the one to commit.

"Be safe, baby brother..." her voice broke as she tried to hold onto what little composure she had left. "We love you!"

"I love you too, big sis." he smiled, knowing that he had to be the stronger one of the two. "When you and mom come visit, I'll show you both all over the city."

"Promise me, that you'll stay out of trouble," Celeste spoke up, her smile also struggling to stay complete. "You have your father's blood in you, ya know?"

He nodded and assured them that things would be alright. "I promise, I'll do my best to keep away from trouble." he then kissed both women on their cheeks and, hesitantly hopped on the bus, sparing one more glance before fully boarding.

It didn't take long for the vehicle to pull off, leaving behind the two bokor women who kept waving until the transport was no longer in sight. Liam decided to hop on one of the makeshift beds, gazing at the many pictures in his phone of the family that, prior to this trip, he'd thought was extinct. From his beautiful mother to his lovely sister, he was truly grateful for this trip. Both his monster and querida agreed that it would be best if he had some time to take in everything that happened. It wasn't about them right now and both were content with that knowing their beloved would need their love and affection in due time.

As he felt his eyes grow heavy, Liam didn't bother to fight the feeling overtaking his senses as she rolled over and closed his eyes; the last thing he remembered hearing before falling asleep. were the voices of his family:

"Nous t'aimons, Liam."

* * *

 **Okay, I thought the previous chapter was long but, man... I would've split this into two parts but, since it's almost New Years, I decided to post this all in one chapter. I want to thank everyone for sticking with me even when I was in the midst of dealing with intense writer's block and a bit of depression. I'm grateful for you all who read and enjoy my work.**

 **I nearly left this on a cliffhanger, but I didn't want to tease you all with that considering the holidays. I can say that the next chapter will start the next and final arc for Demons Within and I'm really looking forward to posting again soon for you guys. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this long chapter and don't be afraid to give me some feedback on what you're expecting in the upcoming chapters. I will say that Mercedes and Trina will be given a much larger role in this arc as well as Lucille, and Celeste. (Yes, I'm bringing them back since I've fallen so hard for them as OCs.)**

 **For now, thank you all again and Happy New Year to you all!**

* * *

 **French to English Translation**

 **Libère ton Coeur, amour: Free your heart, love.**

 **Nous t'aimons, Liam: We love you, Liam.**


	38. Chapter 33

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 33: Descent**

 **"To sell your soul is the easiest thing in the world. That's what everybody does every hour of his life. If I asked you to keep your soul - would you understand why that's much harder?"**

 **― Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead.**

* * *

Things between the gang had somewhat mellowed out after returning from their vacation in New Orleans, though the trio of Liam, Jade, & Tori would use their final weeks of relaxation away from their dear friends in order to recover from the emotional events that had transpired. For Tori, the reunion with her older sister had caused her to feel so many things at once that she never truly had a moment to clearly decrypt those feelings while Jade & Liam had dealt with the surprising reveal of not only his current familial ties but also a bit of his lineage. Once they returned, Jade wasted little time in relaxing, mostly with Liam and Tori at the latter's home. Though she was normally the main one involved with drama or some conflict, even she had to admit that she had her fill for a bit. Tori and Liam themselves worked to build their half of the relationship, the former doing his best to show how important she was to him.

Andre and Cat's relationship only grew after their time in New Orleans. Taking in the sights and sounds of the bayou, they only became closer as a unit. To make things even more interesting, Cat Valentine somehow managed to form a relationship with Andre's grandma, though she'd still get a bit thrown off from the woman's random antics; not that anyone could blame her. This left Beck, the odd man out to have to deal with the inevitable return to L.A. While everyone else had their significant other to keep them company, he was left alone, save for a particular phone contact that brought a smile on his face.

Lucille.

That's right, after going through the cleansing ritual with both Lucille and Celeste, the two managed to hit it off during the Mardi Gras festival. Though the full nature of their relationship was still unknown, what was clear was the mutual attraction between the two. In fact, the two had shared phone calls and text messages ever since he left the city and things only seemed to get better. While relaxing in his RV, he was in the middle of a conversation with the young woman when someone knocked on his door. Considering the lights inside were off, and it was after dark, he turned over in his bed, flipping over the phone so that its light wouldn't be visible.

"Becky, open up!" that voice. That dreadful voice that haunted his soul for months had finally come around once more. "Beck, I know you're in there. I saw your phone light up."

"Shit..." he hissed just barely out of hearing.

"Maybe he's asleep...?" another voice, while still retaining its meekness, held a distinct darkness to it. "Try calling. If he's awake, he'll have to answer."

Beck knew this trick, it was some spooky way for the girl to figure out if what he was up to. Prior to his encounter with Liam's family, he could only fear the act when it happened; like an evil spirit would expose him to her thus blowing his cover by forcing him to answer or face the taunting of the deceased souls summoned. His heart raced when his phone suddenly vibrated and the room suddenly fell into deadly silence. The vibrations from his phone, the steady rhythm of his heart, and even his breath all appeared louder than ever.

He clenched his eyes, almost mentally preparing himself for the terrifying spirits that were to come. The thing is though, they never showed up... With one eye cautiously opened, he watched as the lit screen soon faded to black, the vibrating ceasing and allowing the peaceful evening to return. The final thing he remembered seeing was the silhouette of the girl thanks to the moonlight casting her shadow over him. Still, he refused to move, his body never moving until the figure not only disappeared, but the sounds of Robbie's car pulling off faded from his ears.

Once he was sure they were gone, he finally figured out just how much of an impact she still had on him, even when he'd be rid of her demonic grip. He wiped the sweat from his brow, shivering from the disturbing air still lingering, he peered out of the window one more time before dialing a number. Several rings later, his efforts were rewarded by the drowsy voice of Lucille.

"Beck? *yawn* I thought you fell asleep..."

"N-not exactly..." he replied through heavy breaths.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I just had an unwanted visitor show up not too long ago."

"Her?"

"Mhmm..."

There was a pause that only served to make his heart race. When she returned, he could tell that she was more alert and serious.

"Alright, I'm listening, sugar."

* * *

The month-long vacation had finally passed and, after a couple of months, it seemed that the effects of New Orleans had shown the massive change in the group. For starters, Ahrya and Robbie were still pretty sour about having to miss the trip with the gang and yet, seemingly made no movement to try and hang out once they all came back. Unless in class or involved with a performance, the couple rarely interacted with the group; all except for one.

During Sikowitz's acting routine, the coconut lover had chosen several students for his usual improv exercises. Among them, several original pairings were made until he came across two names that hadn't been chosen: Jade & Ahrya. Coming to terms with this realization, he released a frustrated sigh before calling the two on stage.

"Alright ladies, I want a good, clean performance," he warned. "Your challenge revolves around two bitter women meeting for the first time at the grave of a someone dear to you both after years of avoiding the other. Jade, you are the widow while Ahrya will play the role of the dead man's sister."

'Oh goodie...' the goth rolled her eyes before attempting to get into character. 'If this isn't asking for trouble...'

"And action!"

"Lance!" Jade pretended to break down. "Why did you have to leave me so soon? I know that we swore 'til death do us part' but, I never knew death would be so selfish and want you all to herself...!" she then dropped to her knees, her sobs coming off as truly realistic. "It seemed like just yesterday, we were walking along the shore of the beach when you found a helpless baby turtle under a swarm of gulls and rescued it from those wretched creatures and now..." she bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears threatening to overflow like a broken dam.

This was when Ahrya stepped on the scene; her footsteps catching Jade's attention, her sorrowful gaze suddenly morphing into a hate-fueled glare.

"Hello, Rachell..." he tone, while devoid of discernable emotion, still carried a measure of turmoil. "...it's been a while."

"What are you doing here?!" Jade snarled at the stoic Ahrya.

"I came to see where they buried my brother. Isn't that obvious?"

The class watched closely, interest and worry mixing amongst the teens in attendance, none more so than Liam himself.

"What's obvious is, you broke Lance's heart all of those years ago," Jade pointed her sharpened nail at the girl. "which is why I ask again: Why are you really here?"

"How dare you question my intentions?!" the violet-eyed girl growled. "He is my brother and I loved him!"

"Oh give me a break, Leah! You left him behind once you found out he and I were together!" the young man began to pick up that something wasn't right. "You didn't even attend our wedding! After we said our vows, we found out that you not only didn't support our union, but you stole his half of the inheritance. You left your own brother penniless just to stick it to me and you know it."

The sense of realism behind Jade's words seemed to cut deeper than any knife ever could. She stared at the goth, seeing anger and ruthlessness radiating from her eyes, but somehow, maintained her character.

"I did what had to be done, Rachell. My brother Lance, while the kindest of souls, was never the sharpest tool in the shed. That was proven when he chose to pick up a stray like you." The classroom erupted into a chorus of 'Oohs' at the implications being made. "Before he took you in, you bounced from one failed relationship to another, at least until you managed to accept your destiny of being a whore." Collective gasps filled the room now, as Ahrya continued her verbal barrage. "If I recall correctly, you mistook my brother for one of your tricks until he opted to show you the finer things in life."

"That was a part of my past that we both left behind..." the amount of hurt pouring out was enough to fill several buckets. "That's not who he saw me as."

"But it's the truth!" Ahrya snapped. "You and I both know what you are. We both know the truth, Rachell! My brother was blinded by your make-up and charm, somehow falling under your spell and look at you now? A bottom feeder playing princess... Pathetic."

At this point, even Sikowitz was beginning to grow uncomfortable, but once look from Jade West halted any attempts at stopping the scene.

"It's funny," Jade smiled, her expression darker than the deepest abyss. "You go on and on about how naive your brother was. You brag about stealing his part of your family fortune and how you 'know the truth'. But let me ask you something, 'sister-in-law'." She narrowed the gap between them, growing dangerously close to the ornery girl. "I know something about you that you've kept a secret up until now."

Ahrya narrowed her eyes, not liking where this was going.

"I learned that you're not really his sister... Leah."

Violet started to expand the implication made by Jade (or Rachell as she was christened). To those watching in the audience, this scene was beginning to pick up but, only one looked on suspiciously. The whispers and murmurs formed a sickening symphony in Ahrya's head as she placed a hand on her chest, feigning offense to the statement.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she spat, mortified at what she was hearing. "It seems the death of my brother has truly destroyed what few brain cells you had remaining." her attempt at appearing nonchalant became more obvious with each passing second, and Jade knew exactly why.

Buried in her heart, she was more than confident in her words for the unscripted moment in time that the duo was tasked with creating. It was no secret by now that both Jade and Ahrya had grown to be more vicious rivals than the former and Tori Vega. They constantly butt heads when it came to anything even remotely close to assignments revolving around the two cooperating. Neither was willing to bow out to the other as shown in their excessive attempts at outdoing one another. Over time, the alleged rivalry soon morphed into a deep-rooted hatred for each other.

While Tori & Liam would find themselves the unwilling targets in the continuing saga between the young ladies, it was mostly a direct war between the goth and prep, so it came as no surprise when the two would find any opportunity to throw barbs; especially if said barbs were personal. This was just the nature of things; a normalcy that normally required little, if any, action at all.

Something about how things were progressing, however, spelled a difference from 'normal' occasions.

"I found evidence that revealed that you and Lance were never biologically related."

Violet orbs shot opened in shock at the words being hurled at her; her mind unable to decipher the lines of reality and fiction presented by the goth in front of her. If it was any consolation, even Liam's curiosity was further piqued as he too could sense there was something a bit,s weird in his girlfriend's direction for the skit. Deep down HE knew the truth of he and Ahrya's relationship, right? She was his cousin whom he accepted as his sister and never brought the subject to her and yet, he found himself questioning even that. His mind would ponder this for only a moment before he was snapped back into the present.

"You're crazy!" Ahrya declared, her very being growing more and more unhinged at the statement. "Lance and I, we grew up together. He took care of me and protected me when we were children! After his mother abandoned him, we later learned that we shared the same father. I am his sister!"

"Funny, because I've met his mother and she's said otherwise," it then became clear, even to Sikowitz who stared slackjawed. "She never once mentioned you. I also ran into someone else who told me everything about you; his real sister. Face it, you're a fraud."

That was it!

With as much of her rage as she could muster, Ahrya lunged at the girl with a viciousness uncharacteristic to most of the other students. The two rolled all over the floor with Sikowitz failing miserably to separate the two; this was mainly because his definition of 'separating' was him pleading with the ladies to break it up. It took both Robbie and Liam to actually physically remove the girls from one another, each to their respective partner.

"I'll rip you to shreds, witch!"

"Ahrya!" Robbie's eyes widened in terror at the forbidden name as he struggled with his girlfriend.

"Try it, and I'll show you just how much of a witch I can be!" the goth snarled, much to Liam's bewilderment.

"Jade, that's enough!" he his voice, devoid of anger, still commanded enough authority for Jade to calm down. "You're better than this, love."

The swiftness in how Liam's tone switched from authoritative to benevolent made the goth want to melt in his arms which impressed even Tori, who was so sure that her scissor-wielding girlfriend would've turned her anger unintentionally towards the young man. The feeling of tranquility washing over her was visible by the goofy grin plastered on her lips. Soon, her grip on his arms loosened up as the tension throughout her entire body seemed to disappear almost in an instant.

In truth, her mind had taken her back to their most recent adventure in the bayou. From their mishaps to their encounters with spirits, it was clear to Jade that she wasn't being controlled but, rather, she perceived the tone as a warning for her not to cross the line that would lock her back into her old way. Time stood still for her as she took a deep breath and settled into the one she deemed her guiding light.

"You stay out of this!" a voice broke the air of peace, plunging both Jade & Liam back to earth. Both turned their attention towards none other than Robbie Shapiro, his face nearly beet red now. His own anger apparently boiled over towards his dorm mate. "You've caused enough trouble!"

At that moment, the bell rang and thus, saved everyone within the room from experiencing World War 3.

One by one, the students filed out of the room, their murmurs pertaining to the four soon becoming lost in the sea of students mixing into the hallways. Liam figured that it was only a matter of time before this little outburst became public knowledge. It seemed to him that once he and others returned from their vacation, all of the good vibes soon disappeared without a trace, replaced with the stressful antics of his 'sister' and roommate. Now, he and Jade stood only a few feet away from the couple, neither side willing to budge an inch.

While the reason for Jade and Ahrya's feud was as made clear earlier in the school year, this new development between Liam and Robbie was a mystery, even to the former. He thought that whatever was off between him and the curly haired boy had been settled long ago. He eventually surmised that the idea was nothing more than a fairy tale at this point and he steeled his gaze at the fuming male across from him.

"Mr. Shapiro, while I'm sure there's a reason for your anger, I suggest you take it up with the guidance counselor." A no-nonsense Sikowitz demanded; this only proved his reasons for leaving the two behind was the correct path. To his astonishment, he was stopped by an unnaturally focused Liam who never removed his gaze from the boy.

"It's alright," he finally cut his gaze to the old man. "Whatever Robbie has to say, let him say it now. I'd love to hear what's on his mind."

Despite his better judgment, the teacher agreed and took a seat nearby, in hopes of preventing any further altercation that may occur. In the meantime, Jade and Ahrya stood back from their respective lovers though, they made a mental note that their own issues had yet to be resolved. The ungodly silence between both boys made the situation even tenser as Robbie stepped forward. His shoulders rising and falling as if he were carrying the weight of the world on them.

"You're still doing it," his voice shook with each word that passed. "Instead of coming to your sister's aid, you choose to defend and comfort Jade! What kind of a sibling does that?!"

Rage.

Fury.

Hatred.

These three things flashed in front of Liam; the only way they would be any more obvious would be if they were hung off of a neon sign for all to see. Still, he showed no reaction, choosing only to raise an eyebrow in complete disinterest once more. While similar to their last encounter on the matter, only Jade could pick up that his reaction was a complete contrast to the previous time. That night at Tori's house, the night that led to the two sharing their official first time together, she knew that Liam was harboring intense rage at both the nerd and 'sibling' but this time? This time there was no struggle, no war within to be had. Everything about his demeanor exuded a legitimate detachment.

"You're still beating that horse, huh?" his crossed his arms. "I told you, everything you do for Ahrya, I do for Jade. She's my girlfriend... as well as Tori," he added just as Robbie parted his lips to interrupt. "I love them both equally and uniquely so don't even think of crossing into that territory."

"That's what I'm talking about!" he erupted again, not caring about how crazy he might've appeared at the time. "Tori? I can understand completely! She's smart, funny, down to earth, and sweet; who wouldn't want to date her?!" Despite the warning, Robbie still dared to step into the beast's domain without any thought to the consequences that may befall him. During his rant, he failed to notice Liam violently shoving his hands into his pockets, his second attempt at resisting the urge to wring his neck. "But Jade? How can you truly say that you love her?! She's the complete opposite of Tori!"

"Robbie..."

"She's devious."

"Rob..."

"...sinister, violent, devoid of empathy..."

"...stop..."

"...mean, spiteful, angry, borderline demonic..."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" The near empty room, once again, fell silent under the young man's interjection, his thunderous voice echoing throughout. Robbie couldn't help but tremble slightly at the sudden act of verbal force, but he somehow managed to stand his ground. Normally expected to deliver a full-on physical assault, Liam didn't give in to that desire. Instead, his eyes narrowed into slits, his emerald pools burrowing a hole into Robbie Shapiro's soul. "You don't know anything about Jade, do you?"

"W-what?!" he yowled in complete disarray. "Of course I do!"

Liam simply shook his head slowly, his lips locked into a tight line.

"No, you don't," now it was Robbie's turn to raise an eyebrow, confusion dripping from him like sweat on a scorching summer's day. "IF you knew Jade, you'd know that she's suffered greatly throughout her life and, while lashing out at others is certainly not the way to go, she handled it the best way she could." he spared a glance to see the shocked and blushing face of his beloved goth, who had remained quiet up to this point. "You also would've known that she's worked hard these last few years to better handle her issues by opening up and addressing them as soon as she can instead of bottling up her feelings and letting them explode. Besides, if I recall correctly, you had a similar defense mechanism when I first met you."

"I- I don't know what y-you're talking about!" It was clear that Robbie's guard was cracking; his lip quivering from the implied accusation made about him. "Unlike that monster, I know how to express my issues, like a normal person!"

"Was that before or after you got rid of that puppet?"

The words were cold and deliberate, the perfect combination to make the lanky boy's heart nearly beat out of his chest. "What are you talking about? Shut up!" Try as he may, his attempt to come off as intimidating seemed more like a last-ditch plea.

"We both know that, compared to me, you're about as intimidating as a poodle, Robbie... Sound familiar?"

Darkness filled the mind of Robbie Shapiro, his inner self, plunged into the depths of the mental abyss, a place where his more dire secret had been supposed left to rot within the psychological prison that lay at the bottom. "I'm warning you..." he clutched his skull, eyes growing wider behind the thick-rimmed glasses that allowed him to see. His head felt like he'd been hit with a hammer repeatedly and all he wanted to do was stop the hell that was coming.

"What are you going to do Robbie?" Liam taunted, his sense of justice finally coming out in full force. "This is exactly what you sound like when you talk about Jade! You can dish it out, but you can't your medicine, you spineless worm?! Go ahead, Robbie!"

"No..."

"Prove that damn puppet right, and stop trying to 'better' yourself." he pressed on, intent on showing the boy the same treatment, that had been shown to Jade. "Prove Rex right!"

"Liam, please," He turned to find himself lost in his emotions, the sight of Jade West forcing his rage to subside. "I think he's had enough. Let's just go..."

"Yes, I think it best too. Mr. Shapiro's clearly learned his lesson so let's just agree that things are going to be settled between you all and that's final. Understood?" He was relieved to see everyone nodding in, albeit reluctant, agreement. Everyone, except Robbie himself...

"Mr. Shapiro?" He suddenly stopped his shivering, a strange calmness suddenly flowing within him, as if he was experiencing true nirvana. "Robbie Shapiro!"

"Y-yeah... sorry..." his voice was no louder than a hush but it was enough for those around him to hear him. "I'll do you a favor and move out to another available room by tomorrow."

Before anyone could inquire further, he willed himself out of the classroom, snatching his bag on the way out. Ahrya soon followed after him but made sure to flash one more glare at Jade who shared a look with her significant other before they too made their way to their next destination. They were just glad that Tori had an exam that prevented her attendance in class today.

* * *

"I am such an idiot..." Liam groaned into the phone.

"Liam Alexandre" he shuddered when he heard his middle name being used. "If you don't cut out all of that self-bashing, I'll come down there myself and put you on my lap."

"But, mom... I don't know what happened? One minute, I'm dealing with a major decision and the next, Tori and Jade are mad at me! Neither one of them will even talk to me!"

Celeste, hearing the turmoil in her son's voice, decided to cut him some slack. Right now, he needed some encouragement, not reprimanding.

"Okay, baby. Why don't you start from the beginning."

 **{Flashback several hours ago}**

Despite the major hiccup, things began to die down rather quickly for the gang; it was Friday after all. Andre and Cat had a movie date planned. Beck said he had a video date with someone, obviously trying to hide the fact that it was with Liam's sister. It turned out that Tori & Jade had an engagement that would require them both to be on the other side of town which left Liam pretty much on his own, at least for the night.

Not one to be dejected, he opted to stay after school and work on some of the few remaining details before the school year finally concluded.

Unlike his time prior to Hollywood Arts, Liam had become a model student academically, touting A's and B's (with the occasional C in math; he hated that subject!). Whether through tutoring or his determination not to fail, he managed to be one of the top seniors both in the subject of grades and talent. So, what project could possibly require so much attention from the young man?

College.

After finishing a virtuoso for his piano class, he found himself remaining at the massive instrument just trying to focus on the one thing that actually made him nervous. Before changing schools all of those years ago, he never gave college much thought and yet, inside of his bag lied a major task. One by one, he reached into his backpack, pulling out a few envelopes that were stamped with various seals from the respective universities they were sent from.

UCLA.

Notre Dame.

Julliard.

LSU.

Ball State.

All acceptance letters.

About fifteen colleges wanted him to join their ranks on either full or 3/4 scholarships. After reading each one, he would find that there were multiple scholarship types available to him should he choose them. The question would be where would he go? If things couldn't get any worse for his mind, he had another issue that would need to be dealt with long before graduation.

Tori & Jade.

He dug a hand into his hair, hoping to relieve the stress running through his mind only succeeding in scratching a minor inch in a particular part of his scalp. A bitter smile formed on his lips before emerald gems cut to the door of the classroom. Nobody was there but, the door was door was partially open, which was odd to him considering he had shut it firmly hours ago.

"Maybe the janitor...?" brows tightly knit, Liam gathered his belongings cautiously, his eyes never leaving the ajar entrance. While it was safe to say that he wasn't easily spooked, no one could blame him for being on his guard. From his early encounters with those three rich brats to his trip to New Orleans, he'd be a fool not to prepare for something when suspiciousness rears its head.

His body shivered as he stalked silently towards the door. His mind began to race with ideas of what could happen once he entered the dark hallway; none of which were enough to deter him from finding out. He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat as he pressed forward, his footsteps silent as the morning breeze. He turned the corner his fist ready to pummel anything that dare strike him but, he found nobody there.

"Dammit..." he groaned in frustration. "...I'm really going nuts..."

"Took you long enough to admit that." a soft voice giggled from behind him.

At that moment, Liam nearly jumped out of his skin at the unseen voice, causing him to drop his book bag, along with the contents in it. Despite how quickly he freaked out though, he was able to pick up the owner's voice even faster.

"Real funny, Tori..." he huffed at the tickled girl, clearly not amused at her joke. "Seems both of my girlfriends are pranksters, huh? Wait, I thought you and Jade were on the other side of town already?"

She remained silent but did nothing to hide the blush that crept along her cheeks. "We were supposed to be gone about an hour ago but, we really wanted to see you before heading over there. We stopped by your dorm but only found Robbie, who was apparently packing some boxes, and he told us that you were probably still here. "

With the sweetness of this gesture, combined with her adorable tone of voice, Liam's irritation soon vanished only to be replaced with a semi-embarrassed expression of his own that slowly shifted into confusion. "Wait, we?" His answer would come in the form of Jade West nearly mauling him from behind with a massive hug that forced him to the ground. Grumbling something undetectable by the two, he managed to lift his head up enough to get a somewhat clear view of both girls. "Nevermind..." he exhaled sharply, the effects of the move accomplishing its goal.

"I knew I took your breath away, tiger," she leaned down to kiss his temple just before she let him up fro his prone position. "My super glomp attack is unstoppable." She continued to cheer her success when the crinkling of paper caught her ear. Looking down, she saw the small pile of envelopes scattered near and under her feet, wasting little time in scooping them up before Liam could get a hold of them himself. "What have we here?" her eyebrows rose in interest once she noticed the insignias on the top left corners. "Tori, I think our boyfriend's been up to something without our knowledge."

Looking a bit befuddled, the Latina was shown the college letters and soon, her expression turned from wonder to amazement as her honey brown eyes settled on her beloved, although she was taken aback when she saw his grimace. "Liam? Did you get accepted by all of these schools? That's amazing!"

"It's nothing really..."

"Nothing?" Jade scoffed. "Judging by the looks of things, it's a pretty big deal, dontcha think?"

"I guess..." he kicked some imaginary dust, shoulders slumping to show his ever-increasing discomfort with the subject. "Can we just move on and enjoy each other's company before you girls leave for the weekend?"

"Not until you tell us what it is that's bothering you, Liam."

"Yeah," Tori chimed in. "It's almost as if you didn't want us to know about this."

With the cat out of the bag, Liam could only sigh. He knew there was no getting anything past them both; maybe one or the other, but both? He'd be better off trying to perform a root canal on himself.

"It's not that I didn't want you to know, just... not yet... I'm having a rough time making a decision because of some personal reasons." He felt their eyes locking onto him, the heat of their respective gazes threatening to burn through to his soul if he didn't proceed. "With everything that's been going on, everything seemed like it was crashing down on me. I mean, I don't know where you two will be going and..."

"You felt like by you making a decision, you'd be leaving us behind?" Tori watched him nod slowly, the guilt of such an act visible in his downtrodden orbs. "Liam, you should know us better than that! There are so many things that could have broken us apart, some nearly had, but we've made it through them all and we've grown stronger because of it!"

"Yeah, but..."

"But nothing!" she cut him off, anger now burning brightly from her soul. "You purposefully kept something from us because you didn't trust us enough! You've told and shown us countless times to put our trust and faith in you only for you to do the complete opposite? That's low, Liam..."

Before he could take the chance to explain himself, she pushed past the stunned boyfriend.

"Tori..." he could literally hear the sounds of his heart shattering; was Tori leaving him? As desperation began to shroud him, he turned to the only person left, but, he regretted that decision. On her face, an unreadable expression was firmly in place only accentuated by the equally foreign gaze she was giving back. It was a simple mistake; surely she wouldn't hold this against him. "...Jade..."

"I should go check on, Vega," her words came so swift, so harsh that she could only twist her body and make her own departure down the corridor, her form soon overtaken by the darkness.

 **{Flashback End}**

* * *

Back in the present, he sat on the edge of the roof hours after the girls left him standing in that hallway. Not too long after that, he made his way out of the building and did his best to contain the emotions burning wildly in his body. He didn't know how to feel which never was a good sign. When he arrived at his room, Liam would find everything of Robbie's gone. From posters to books, anything remotely close to a representation of the nerd was stripped bare. Then it hit him: He was alone...

He would settle for trying to meditate but only after trying to message the two girls but, as expected, he received no reply. Another hour passed before he finally made his way to the roof. Once he was at the top, he would find the roof devoid of any other souls. With the feeling of loneliness gripping at his heart, he did the only thing that made any sense: Contact his mother... If anyone could help him through life, why not her?

"So, that's it."

Up to this point, Celeste had held her silence, content with hearing everything from him before rendering any form of counsel. While he was explaining what happened, she couldn't deny the different sorts of negativity that resided in his soul.

Helplessness: that's the only word he could think of to describe the state he was in at that moment.

Lost: he didn't know what to do after what had transpired.

Guilt: his tone held the slightest chance of him giving up on things, despite all of the work he put into building it.

Loneliness: He didn't like the feeling of being abandoned by those who cared for him, especially for one bad decision.

"Wait," her voice snapped him out of his funk if only to focus on what she was about to tell him. "Have you done anything else that might have added on or contributed to their anger towards you?"

He took a moment to search his mind but couldn't come up with a viable result. "Nope. This is the first time in a long time that I've been in this position. Before today, I hadn't dealt with this for over two years."

"Did anything out of the ordinary occur today?" he could hear in her voice, a need for him to rack his brain for anything, no matter how insignificant he might've thought it to be.

"Not that I can recall. The day just went by like a normal one... We had our classes, hung out, then we went to acting class where Jade got into it with..." Suddenly his eyes nearly burst out of their sockets. "Ahrya."

"Huh? Who's Ahrya?"

"She's my other sister, mom, or rather, she's my cousin."

"Liam..."

"What is it?" he sounded legitimately clueless. "What's wrong?"

"That girl is not even related to you. At least, she's not in the family records."

Scrunching his face, the ebony teen rubbed his forehead as he tried to make sense of things. "I don't get it. Back when Aunt Cecilia led me through the mausoleum, she mentioned something about having a daughter with eyes that resembled hers. How can that be anyone else?"

"Because she never had children... Why do you think she did what she did to rip you away from me?" her words felt like someone had stabbed Liam in his stomach, the intense pain rushing through his system made him a little woozy but he managed to keep himself together. "In our family, Lucille, Cecilia, and I all have duel eye colors. You were the exception when you acquired your father's green eyes and that was a recessive trait. That means-."

"For Ahrya to be her daughter, she'd have to have the same eyes as you three. But, I still can't understand how she fits in our family if she's not in the official family tree. Maybe adoption?"

"Not likely. Cecilia wanted a child gifted in spiritual arts. She wouldn't want a child if they weren't guaranteed to have that direct bloodline..." Suddenly, a realization hit her like a bag of bricks. "There might be another way that she was able to exist in our family. Jericho..."

"Uncle Jericho? What does he have to do with any of this?"

"Liam? That thing is NOT your uncle..." the graveness in her voice resonated with a darkness not felt since their encounter. "Jericho is the name of that shade that almost killed me before you volunteered to leave with my sister. He was summoned by her decades ago and given a human form. What color eyes does this girl posses?"

Ignoring the dull headache that was coming, Liam did his best to keep up with all of the information being fed to him. "Both of her eyes are purple, why?"

"So that's how..." she muttered to herself, finally able to put the puzzle pieces together. "Liam, you said that Jade and that girl have had altercations in the past?"

"Yeah, they've been at each other's throat since the school year started... They even went at it earlier in class today."

"What happened?"

"Um... They had to perform a scene. Of course, they started throwing insults disguised as skit lines when Jade mentioned that she wasn't my sister and suddenly she freaked out. We were able to break them apart but then I got into an argument with my, now former, roommate. We went at it for a little bit until he started acting weird." At this point, Liam had been pacing all over the roof as he conversed with his mother. He must've predicted that she was going to ask for the details so he opted to beat her to the punch. "At first he was raging out like an animal but then, almost instantly, he grew quiet and more composed without anyone telling him to. After that, he smiled and left without so much as an explanation. Ahrya followed him and shot a glare back at Jade before disappearing. I haven't seen them since that class."

"Son, you need to find out where Jade & Tori have gone!" the urgency in her voice left little room for debate. "If this girl is the daughter of that creature and Cecilia, then she's a danger to mankind. Shades are able to possess the minds of those who are emotionally weak."

"Emotionally?" like Celeste earlier, the gears finally started turning for him. "Oh no..."

"What is it?" she panicked over the phone.

"Jade might have been possessed at that point but, Tori wasn't there when this happened. Is it possible that the possession can jump onto others?"

"Yes, it is very likely..." Suddenly a familiar ping sound forced Liam to pull his ear away from the device. Instinctively, he put his mother on speakerphone once he saw that it was several text notifications popping up on his phone, seven in all. "Something wrong, child?"

"I think I know where Tori and Jade are, mom. I have to go..."

Before she could reply, he clicked the end button and got to work on reading the list of the messages. It was a typical ransom note only, whoever sent it had decided to make a game out of it. The sender was unknown, but, he was no fool. He knew, at least to some degree, Ahrya had to be behind this. This would mean that Robbie could be in danger as well. Scanning over the messages, he pulled out the major parts needed for him to remember.

 **1\. The sender had both girls captured while they were en route to their destination.**

 **2\. The game was to find and rescue them but, no police were to be involved or else they would lose their lives.**

 **3\. He would have to follow a list of clues in order to properly locate them before time ran out.**

 **4\. For some reason, the first clue called for him to locate and bring along an 'old enemy' to be involved as well.**

 **5\. Liam was to answer his phone anytime the unknown captor called or he forfeited.**

 **6\. If he was caught cheating (i.e. police, or any other outside interference) it would be game over.**

With these facts, Liam wasted little time getting to his car wondering just who would he consider to be an old enemy. Obviously, that meant it was someone that he was on good terms with now but, at some point, hated with every fiber of his being. Then it hit him, just as he was putting the key in the ignition. He quickly pulled out his phone, searching his contacts furiously until he found the only name inside that would even come close to that description. Hitting call, he anxiously waited as the dial tone served to taunt him. Each ring was more torturous than the last and he mentally prayed that the individual wasn't asleep or out of commission.

"Hello?"

"Hey! Listen, I have little time so I need you dressed and waiting for me outside. I'm on my way!"

"Wait, what?"

"It's an emergency! I'll explain when I pick you up!"

*sigh* "Okay, I'll get a shirt on and I'll be looking out."

"Thanks."

"Bye..."

With that completed, Liam's eyes darkened, the warring spirit inside of him showing itself as a result. Whoever had kidnapped Jade & Tori, he was going to make them suffer, and, if it turned out that Ahrya was indeed the mastermind?

"Grande Ezili, have mercy on their souls... because I won't."

The spirit of Bosou relished the brand of justice that its host was planning on inflicting. A new wave of demonic hatred rushed through the young man as he drove into the night to the first of possibly many destinations.

* * *

 **Okay, so this was a long one as well, but, this was basically the introduction to the final arc of this fic. To be honest, I never thought I would've reached this point on any story but, here we are. This particular arc will be known as 'Endgame'. The main premise is that, after a series of events, Jade and Tori wind up being kidnapped by an unknown captor. Of course, it's safe to assume that Ahrya had something to do with this and yet, there is definitely more to this story. As things progress, Liam will find that certain people can't be trusted and others are just as guilty as the perpetrator(s).**

 **I thank you all for your patience and continuous support. Be on the lookout for the next chapter, it may be just as long as this one. I'm going to be aiming to update at least once a week if not more often.**

 **When I started this back in February 2017, I had absolutely no idea that this was going to wind up where it is now. The original plan was for it to be a Trina Vega centered story where after disappearing, she would later be found by Liam who would have to convince her to return home. At that point, he would find that she had gotten pregnant by him the night she left and for over two years had been raising their child alone until she meets another guy who becomes her fiance during the time skip. Basically, it would've turned into Trina having to make a choice, go back and fix things with her past, or leave it all behind for a new future.**

 **And yet, we've ended up with a love triangle that later turned into a polyamorous relationship between Liam, Jade, & Tori. (Even I didn't see that coming) Now, a lot of decisions have to be made. Love and friendships will be tested. The heart and soul will endure far more than many think it's capable of handling. But, no matter what happens, the end is coming.**

 **I can't wait to bring you all the next chapter and I hope you enjoy this. Have a good night/morning.**


	39. Chapter 34

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 34: Reflections**

 **"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."**

 **― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning.**

* * *

Less than half an hour later, Liam began to pull into the driveway, his gaze both satanic and fatal to any who thought it best to cross him. His phone had chimed several times since leaving the dorms, but he declined to answer for anyone outside of the unknown contact and the one he was to meet. His blood boiled as he impatiently waited for his partner to exit their home, made even more evident by the tightness of his hold on the steering wheel. Each departing second only made the cavity in his stomach that much deeper as his cognizance took him to places it should never have gone.

In his mind's eye, he envisioned a gradual and systematic dismantling of the culprit responsible for this monstrous act. Snapping their fingers, one by one would be a solid start. That could be accompanied by the shattering of vital parts of their bone structure just to watch them squirm in the excruciating pain. Perhaps burning them alive would be a sufficient punishment for the evil committed?

"Liam?" His optics flickered many times before realizing what was going on around him. On his left, he was looking at the calm of night, the perfect parody of the storm raging inside of him. On his right, he saw none other than a concerned Beck sitting in the passenger's seat. "Are you alright, man?"

"Oh, yeah... I'm alright," he massaged his forehead in hopes of getting some form of relief from the growing pile of thoughts overwhelming him.

Though not convinced, Beck Oliver nodded in understanding before turning his attention ahead of him. "Well, you look like you've been through hell, man."

To his surprise, the sounds of bitterness flooded his ears as Liam's chuckle echoed within the confines of the vehicle.

"Not yet, Beck..." he then cut his gaze, his eyes, barely noticeable from the corner of his lids. "We haven't even arrived at the gates."

"Man, you're starting to weird me out. What's going on with you?"

"They've been grabbed..."

"Who?"

"Jade and Tori," he sighed. "Somebody's got them and now, I'm stuck playing this twisted game to get them back Beck!" Onyx orbs simply stared at the now irate boy next to him, concern combined with sympathy. "Don't stare at me like that; I don't need your pity."

"Look, I get it. You're pissed off and probably thinking of what you're going to do... The last thing you're going to get is pity from me." he clapped his hand on Liam's shoulder, a sign of his understanding. "Against my better judgment, I'm going to help you to find them."

The two remained quiet for a few moments, letting those words resonate with them both.

* * *

"Gaah! What the hell?" she groaned through a scratchy throat.

The pain coursing through Jade's head was excruciating, to say the least as consciousness returned to the gothic girl. She could feel her parts of her raven hair clinging to her drenched forehead as she attempted to open her eyes. She found this to be a bad idea though when she was greeted by the sharp pain drumming her skull. She had no idea where she was nor what was going on for that matter, but, she realized something grave when she couldn't lift her arms to shield herself from the intense rays.

Competing with her limbs, she'd come to the conclusion that she was restrained by something coiled around her wrists, torso, and legs. She wasn't going anywhere anytime soon and, whether she wanted to admit that truth or not, there wasn't much she could do to change that.

Exhausted and still feeling the effects of disorientation weighing heavy, the girl ceased her struggling and lied back on the cold floor. With the little bit of energy left in her, Jade allowed her eyes to scan the entirety of the room.

From what she could make out, the room was completely devoid of light which left her stewing in her ever-growing frustration and, dare she say it, anxiety. Her heart rate steadily increased as the severity of her plight rained down on her with relentless fury.

"What's going on?!" she called out, not caring about the desperation in her voice. "Let me out of here!"

On cue, sounds of clicking and creaking filled her ears. She figured it to be a set of keys unlocking the door that kept her trapped and fixed her body into a seated position once the creaking door began to open, allowing a bit of light to enter the room.

While grateful for some escape from the mind-numbing abyss that shrouded her, Jade still turned her head to block out the brightness of her sensitive optics.

"I see you're finally awake," a young woman stepped inside, her identity masked by the light behind her. "I figured the spell had done you in, but, it seems you're even more durable than expected." Soon, Jade could manage to peer at her captor, though it only lit a fire in her to resume her earlier attempts at getting free. "I'm sorry for the trouble, Ms. West." the insulting voice spat. "I know you're probably used to more comfortable accommodations, but, we had to make do with what's available. I trust you understand?"

With as much sarcasm as she could muster, Jade's glared at the figure. "Of course. I just hope you understand what I'm going to do to you when I get free."

"Bold words from someone in your predicament, child." another voice, this time, more mature filled the makeshift prison. "Considering you're a hostage, I'd think you'd be smart enough to refrain from antagonizing those who control your fate, girl."

Jade stared in disbelief, her eyes now as wide as they could be. She stared at the second woman, her body much taller than the first girl's but that was only the beginning. Her voice was what gave who she was away but, Jade couldn't begin to fathom why she would be here.

"Cecilia...?" she whispered so softly, you'd think she was hesitantly reciting a curse into existence. "You can't be here..."

A simple chuckle passed her lips. "Yet, here I am."

She relished the terrified sight of the girl partly responsible for her plans being thwarted in New Orleans; It was like a child locked in a room filled with candy. Of course, as with most good things, she knew she couldn't dwell in the moment for too long.

"I think it's time I properly thank you for what you've done to me."

* * *

Liam sat on the hood of the car thinking about everything that had transpired in just a few hours time. What started as a normal, or rather a typical day at school had spiraled out of control.

In less than 12 hours time, he found himself questioning the stability of his relationship over withheld information involving a future that he wasn't even sure of. After that, he would receive an anonymous message that informed him of the two's capture, which nearly sent him over the edge.

Now, he was staring off into nothing, awaiting the next step in this sick game he was being thrust into.

"Chips?" his sights cut into a small bag that read Salt & vinegar being held by Beck.

"Thanks, but I'm not all that hungry," he muttered, though his stomach would interject on his behalf. He reached out and snatched it from the boy, managing to open it and begin scarfing down the salty snack with a swiftness unlike any Beck could say he'd seen before. "Anything yet?"

"Nope. I haven't heard or seen anything out of the ordinary," he took note of the disappointed look on Liam's face. "But, we'll hear from them soon enough. Let's just keep our eyes peeled for anything that could remotely appear weird."

"That's easier said than done given where we are."

The duo looked around the area, to the left of them stood a rather shady looking gas station and on the right side, a bar where it seemed a multitude of wackos could be known to frequent there. This was not going to be an easy task but neither was willing to let that stop them. Both boys soon decided to investigate the area near the station first. It was their closest lead outside of the bar and, with both of them being under the age of 21, they both knew entry there would be impossible.

But, it seemed fate would be kind as Liam's phone started to ring. Turning his attention to the device, his jaw dropped at what he was looking at. The sight of Jade's face appearing on the screen prompted him to immediately answer.

"Jade? Jade, is that you?"

"Sorry, she's not here..." the caller let out a sinister giggle. "But, if you'd like to leave a message, I'd be more than happy to give it to her."

Gone was his elation, replaced with a raw and foreboding look. "What do you want?"

"Straight to the point; I like that..." the person on the other line chuckled darkly. "Where are you right now?"

"We're near the Vega's home," he replied dryly, careful not to reveal too much for fear of the girl's safety. "Why?"

"There's an old beach house in Malibu. Meet me there and we can have a little family reunion," he could just feel the taunting tone sending a surge of wrath throughout his body. "I'll send you the directions and we'll go from there."

"Wait! What about-?"

The sudden click signaled the end of the call, thwarting any further attempts at reaching the goth.

For what it was worth, Liam somehow refrained from launching his cell phone into the nearest wall but, it did nothing to quell the rising wave of rage within. Beck looked on, worried for his rival turned friend.

"We'll get them back, man," he placed a hand on his shoulder.

He said nothing, however, his silence spoke loud enough for him. It was as if a demonic presence had perched itself on him as the boy's logic battled emotions for dominance of his actions. He knew better, the logic in going into a sudden rage would do little to help the situation but, he'd be lying if he didn't crave that desire to unleash vengeance on those responsible for this heinous act.

 _"In due time..."_ a voice not his own cooed in his ears, prompting him to inhale deeply.

The intake of fresh air did the trick, for the time being, calming his nerves and allowing him to focus once more on the task at hand. He had to take whatever good comes along with the bad in order to endure this dysfunctional game. There would be time to contemplate revenge he figured, but, for now, he realized that he'd get to see Tori again and that was a good place to start.

"Liam," hearing his name forced him to notice his former enemy. "Are you gonna be okay?"

Looking out, he took into account the harsh reality that faced him, a slow cryptic grin growing more with each passing second.

"Yeah, I'll be fine..." while calm, his tone left Beck with a need for caution. "For now, we got a road trip to take."

* * *

It took about an hour for the duo to arrive in Malibu and another twenty minutes to determine the exact location where they were "invited" to. Most of the excursion was held in silence with the latter part graced with some small talk here and there, mostly to measure the driver's mindset during the journey.

Along the dark path, Liam expertly traversed the winding way, scouting along the beachfront for any sign of their destination. It would take another few quiet minutes before he caught the sight of a lone home resting little ways from the shore.

'It has to be it...' he recited in his head, almost in a pleading tone.

He turned off on the nearest exit and followed his phone's GPS to the directions necessary for him to reach the place. The sandy dunes shimmered like stars under the few street lights that surrounded the line separating it from the parking lot. Combined with the blue hue of the sky and moon above, one would easily use this locale as a private getaway. Unfortunately, such luxuries were not in the cards for the two young men who finally climbed out of the car.

Lone trail drew them closer to the place, neither knowing what to expect. The roaring vibrations of Liam's heart echoed in his ears as his soul formed many concepts involving what awaited them. He had to admit, having someone around to reel him in was a major plus as Beck turned out to be that logical side to his emotional perspective.

"You sure you're ready?" Beck asked warily, hoping not to arouse a negative response. "Because, if you're not-"

"Of course I am," Liam's tone cut him off. "There's no time to waste. The longer we stall, the longer Tori remains with that sociopath."

With his determination settled, Beck remained quiet and followed closely behind as they approached the dark building. Once there, both boy's would hear the groaning of the wooden staircase under them as they neared the front door, their minds prepared for whatever was lurking on the other side.

To their surprise, the door slowly creaked open after only touching the handle. Inside, the main room was plunged into a shroud of impenetrable blackness causing Beck & Liam to exchanged a cautionary eye towards one another before entering the ominous building. Stepping over the threshold, Liam allowed his need to find his estranged girlfriend override his judgment, rushing further inside in search.

"Liam, wait," Beck hissed, but it was too late. He'd already disappeared into the depths of the house. "Dammit, what else could go wrong?"

"Funny you should ask..." another's voice, so familiar yet also unknown, forced him to cringe in fear. Twisting his body, he watched as the front door had now been shut by the anonymous presence. Plunged into an inky abyss, only a pair of amethyst orbs giving away the figure's identity. "A-Ahrya?!" he grumbled.

"Tsk, tsk... close, but not quite, my dear," the voice was sweet, words stained with a faux gentleness that slowly began to desensitize the tense teen, stripping down his defenses with the smallest of efforts. "It seems you and my nephew are rather good comrades. What a noble cause."

"N-nephew?" he quietly yelped as he tried to back away. "Wait, you're Cecil- Mmph!" he felt a hand clamp down over his mouth, while something dark and sinister began to enclose around his frame, binding his limbs as the piercing gaze drew nearer. Never before had the need for air become so necessary as it did at that moment as he found himself fighting to even take in a full breath.

Helpless to stop her, Beck could only observe this sultry predator tilt his chin upward as if undressing him with her eyes. "It seems my daughter does have good taste," she mused at his futile struggling. "Not only are you physically attractive, but, your heart and soul are as black as the room we're standing in." His muffled grunts did little to faze her as she ordered the mystery captor to release its hold on his speech.

Thankful for this, Beck wouldn't be able to savor it as his lips were claimed hungrily by the woman's own mouth. Onyx optics flew wide as they could get, him doing his best to yell out, but, he quickly knew something was clearly wrong as his body began to feel numb while she cupped his face with both hands.

A few seconds later, he would find his body had gone totally still. Desperately, he tried anything he could to push his body to respond but, nothing would respond to his brain. It seemed his guess was correct as his eyes abruptly began to adjust to the gloom, giving him a clear view of everything around him, including Cecilia, whose face was settled on a soft inquisitive frown.

"I don't remember introducing myself to you back in New Orleans," she tapped her chin. "But, it doesn't matter because I know everything about you, Mr. Oliver. From your past dealings with some rather shady characters to your path to redemption in that country of savages." His orbs soon began to glaze over, his consciousness declining into the obscurest recesses of his soul. "Either way, you'll serve our needs all the same."

With that said, that final thing Beck would see was that dark and sadistic grin that stretched across her lips before succumbing to whatever was dragging him from the conscious reality around him. As his spirit descended into the pits, he caught a clear sight of something odd floating in the opposite direction, something sadistic and primal. The creature stared back at him, a low rumble emitting from its core as the two crossed paths, giving Beck Oliver a pure understanding of what was about to happen to him.

He was being possessed...

The process consisted of several minutes of silence as the body of Beck Oliver remained perfectly still while the two captors watched closely for the results. The shade maintained its grip around the boy; merely a precaution implemented just in case any complications arose against his beloved.

"Are you sure it'll work, Cecilia?" the creature's voice sibilated. "How do we know if the spirit will comply?"

To its surprise, the woman laughed, her thumb tracing over her plush lips in amusement. "My dear Jericho, unlike my wretched nephew, this one's heart carries far too much darkness to break from my control. The Loa I've implanted inside of him will be too busy feasting on the corruption of his heart to even think to betray me." It was clear that her confidence was still intact even after her defeat. "It'll be like a child in a candy store..."

Still unconvinced, the shade thought it best to remain quiet for now despite its reserves. In theory, her decision to implant the spirit inside of this boy sounded foolproof; he and Liam were once at each other's throats to the point of physicality so it made sense. However, if life had taught it anything, it was that principle and application nearly always differed in results which troubled the shade. As he processed every possible outcome of this act, Jericho felt the teen begin to stir, prompting him to tighten his grip, making sure not to give any slack to whatever was about to appear.

"The boy wakes..." he announced.

Beck's body squirmed under the black tendrils holding it, his lips parting with a low groan. Cecilia's look of wonder quickly shifted to one of awe and satisfaction upon seeing the first sign of her accomplishment.

The young man blinked several times before opening his eyes unveiling, not grey orbs, but a dull shade of orange. If eyes were truly the gateway to the soul, then these gates would lead to hatred and ill ambitions.

"Welcome to the modern world, Ibo Lele," her face now lit with euphoria.

The creature stared back at the woman, cocking his head in bewilderment at first before realizing who she was. Immediately, his face contorted into a deep frown of irritation and dismay, not shy of expressing its displeasure.

"Cecilia..." his voice, unlike other Loa's, still sounded like Becks. "Why have YOU summoned me, witch?!" he snarled, subtle rage dripping.

"Watch your tone, spirit," The shade warned, though, there was a lack of conviction to reinforce such tone.

The spirit infused teen cut his gaze at the one restraining him, unimpressed with its paltry attempt at establishing dominance. Even with the dark energy surrounding him, there was no indication of concern from him. He took a deep breath, savoring the long intake of human air before baring his teeth. Then, in one swift motion, he clamped down on the evil limb, taking with him a large chunk to feed on, forcing Jericho to release his hold and retreat into the shadows.

As the dark entity swallowed the mass of energy, licking his lips at the savory flavor, he fixed his gaze once more on the one who dared drag him to the human world.

"Cecilia... why am I not surprised to see you as my summoner once more? It seems you haven't learned from the last time you dared to request my power. Now, I find that you've stuck me in some boy's body?! You'd better have a good explanation as to why I shouldn't rip out your throat?"

The murderous intent lingered in the air, a thick smog that threatened to suffocate any and all who were present. For what it was worth, Cecilia did her absolute best to remain confident, even though she could feel her very soul trembling from the demon's exhibition.

"Ibo Lele," she minced her way closer to him. "While I am well aware of our history, I am pleased to say that my reasons for summoning you here are not to serve me," As predicted, the spirit furrowed his eyebrows, contemplating where this conversation was going.

"Go on..."

"While I would appreciate your assistance, I believe there is something that you want just as much as I do," seeing no response aside from a locked frown, she continued. "Are you familiar with your fellow Loa, Bosou?"

If he weren't already in a foul mood, Ibo Lele's eyes flashed with a smoldering hate that rivaled the fires of hell itself. The atmosphere around the two grew hotter furthering blanketing the room in an unbreathable chamber.

"Bosou..." he seethed, flames of malice blazing behind his spheres. "I'll never forget that name."

"What if I told you that I our enemies are one and the same?"

She watched as he inhaled a deep breath and blew out slowly, his mouth curling up with icy contempt, a contrast to his fiery nature.

"I'd say lead me to my next meal..." he licked his lips hungrily.

* * *

Meanwhile, Liam's search for his Latina goddess had brought him to the upper level of the house. Frantic and frustrated, he pressed on with little regard for anything else, including his own well-being.

Room after room, he found nothing but furniture or the occasional junk scattered throughout the quarters, causing frustration to build up within the young man. After checking every compartment, every nook and cranny for a sign that Tori was here somewhere, he felt the urge to give up perch on his shoulder, slumping them in defeat.

That is when a stray sound happened to catch his ear. He heard it just as he made his way from the bathroom and could tell, notwithstanding how low it was, it was coming from one the guest bedrooms located on either side of him. He carefully considered his options before settling on the left room. Scanning the area, he found the standard items such as a small bed, a dresser, and some boxes full of toys but, there was no sign of his beloved Latina.

'Look up, child...' he heard an unfamiliar voice whisper. Looking around he found no one around, just him and the unnerving gloom to keep him company while Beck was on the first floor. 'I said, look up!' the voice ordered just as the creaking sound drew his attention once more. His body tensing from the authoritative tone, Liam complied with his invisible suggester only to find something that would be considered a clue in this case: A light source. Through the boards above, he spotted a dim light that implied there was something, or someone, here in the house after all.

"I don't know who is giving me instructions, but, thanks for the tip," he smirked then pivoted on his heel and took off.

His determination renewed, the boy rushed to find a way to reach the top, completely unaware of the events happening below. His search led him to the far end just past the staircase. What he found was storage room where a long chord hung from the ceiling, the final obstruction of his reunion with his estranged girlfriend. Pulling with all of his might, the opening gave way, allowing a small ladder to descend. He wasted little time in climbing the rungs and crawling through the small opening.

'Shut the door...' the voice instructed the puzzled teen. '...don't waste time!'

Without a word of protest, Liam did what the unknown voice told him before taking a moment to catch himself. He then pulled the door shut to what he assumed (correctly) to be the attic.

"Okay, the door's shut..." he sighed, the muscles in his jaw tightening. "Now what?" The veiled party stayed hushed, much to Liam's annoyance. "Of course..."

While the voice remained silent, somebody else seemed to answer his question or, at least they attempted to as their words were reduced to muffled whimpers that drew his attention. Sweat fell from his brow as his eyes focused on the sight before him; She was here. Only a few feet away sat a bound and blindfolded Tori Vega, the scene nearly enough to bring him to the brink of tears.

'You had found her...'

There was little time to waste, he figured while rushing to the girl's side. Getting to work, he began cutting through the ropes while whispering encouraging words in hopes of calming her down. Thanks to his trusty hunter's knife, he was able to free her in no time.

She expressed her gratitude by leaping into his arms and sobbing into his chest, her hysterical wails softened.

"It's okay, I'm here." he enveloped the petite girl in his arms, his thumb stroking her back. "You're safe, querida."

Nothing was said after that, at least neither felt the need to say anything else as they stayed in that spot in the poorly lit room. Liam held his beloved close in his solid arms, yet, there was a gentleness that only she and Jade would know of. He savored every second with her, marveling at the details that he felt had been taken for granted.

Her chestnut brown hair, the way she nuzzled closer to him, even the smell of lilac radiated to him that...

...something was wrong.

"Tori? Are you okay?" he pulled away just a little to inspect the young woman who he previously thought to be Tori Vega. His nose wrinkling from the weird scent, he began to doubt that idea as the girl gazed back at him questionably. "Are... you even Tori?"

"Who's Tori?" she blinked several times, brows bumping together coupled with a soft scowl. "My name's Lola..."

This didn't make any sense; how could this girl not be Tori? She looked like Tori. She sounded like Tori. This had to be her and yet, deep in his soul, he knew that this girl was indeed not Tori. How could he have made such a bone-headed mistake like that? He and Tori shared a much deeper bond; a spiritual bond that couldn't be replicated and yet, he felt that same connection with the person staring back at him. To make matters more complicated, she began to look at him with the same idea floating around in her head.

"I'm Liam."

"It's nice to know the name of my savior," she minced her way towards him, her eyes flashing with curiosity. "But, I have a boyfriend."

"I have a girlfriend, myself..." he chuckled softly, his cheeks heating up from the embarrassing statement made by the girl he now knew as Lola. "But, I'm glad I can help you out nonetheless."

As the awkward silence began to set in, both refused to look at the other directly, instead, averting their eyes to anything else.

 **'It is you...'** the voice in Liam's head whispered softly, as if in complete shock.

"What are you talking about?" he growled.

"Um... I didn't say anything," Lola slinked away, a few small steps would be enough.

 **'Bosou? Is that really you?'** This time, it was the girl who'd turn around for fear that it was one of her captors coming back for her.

"Wait, you can hear a voice too?"

Lola turned back to the boy in disarray while trying to make sense of things. "I'm assuming you can?"

"Call me crazy but, it was a voice that led me to you." he rubbed his neck sheepishly.

 **"We are more than just voices boy,"** the entity chimed in. **"We are Loa this is my beloved.**

The pair looked at one another, their eyes shining with a spark that previously went unnoticed upon their meeting. "Your beloved?"

 **"Yes, we were engaged to be wed in the spirit world, Bosou and I."** The feminine Loa spoke up, her voice crass yet, sultry at the same time. **"But, for now, we must leave... I sense another's presence; a malicious entity rivaling our own power."**

 **"So, you felt it too?"** Bosou's voice carried uncertainty with each passing word. **"It seems you are correct. We must leave now."**

Unsure of what to do, Liam and Lola turned to the only exit, the opening leading to the second floor where Beck should be waiting. "I have a friend downstairs who's willing to help us."

 **"Foolish boy!"** Marinette's voice caused him to flinch. **"Do you not know that a serpent waits to strike in the darkness?"**

"What is she talking about?" Liam watched the girl as she started to shudder in fear. "Liam, what's going to happen?"

 **"I think I can answer that, children..."**

Both of their bodies seized up, twisting their heads just enough to make out the figure of another boy appearing to be around their age group. While Lola had no clue as to the identity of the teen, her rescuer did.

"Beck? How did you get up here?" he called out, both nervous and surprised at his appearance.

 **"Nevermind that,"** his eyes burning with malevolent intent. **"I need you both to do me a favor..."**

When neither of them uttered a single word, Beck simply stretched out his hand towards the duo.

 **"DIE!"**

Before any response could be made, both Liam and Lola found themselves watching helplessly as a fiery gust erupted from the boy's palm.

* * *

 **Hey guys!**

 **I would like to apologize for the extended delay in updating on "Demons Within". I had a major fiasco with my internet where the site wouldn't work properly whenever I tried to save my work. Thankfully, I was able to get things fixed and I'm back to updating this as well, as the spin-off "A Demons Kiss". I won't bore you all with any more explanations but I would like to add a few bits of information pertaining the future of this story.**

 **1. Trina & Mercedes:**

 **Both of the girls will be appearing in a major role in the coming chapters in relations with Liam's attempts to rescue both Tori & Jade. What their exact roles are will be revealed in due time.**

 **2. Lola Martinez:**

 **I decided to bring her into the story full-time as she will play a major role, both as the vessel for Marinette-Bwa-Chech and as Liam's ally throughout the story.**

 **3. Ahrya & Cecilia:**

 **Both mother and daughter are the primary antagonists of this arc and will remain so unless we shift directions. Prior to capturing and possessing Beck, it seems their plan was to lure both boys into a straightforward trap, but now, things are getting a bit complicated as they progress.**

 **4. Robbie, Andre, & Cat:**

 **While not mentioned yet, they will be playing a role in this final arc (should it remain final mind you...). Like Trina & Mercedes, their official parts haven't been fleshed out yet. More to come...**

 **Lastly, I would like to introduce to you two new Loas that will be prominently featured:**

 **Loa**

 **Marinette-Bwa-Chech:**

 **Also known as "Marinette of the dry arms", she is known as a petro loa or an evil spirit. Worship of her is not spread all over Haiti but is growing rapidly in the southern parts. She is known as a she-devil; the sworn servant of evil and is respected by werewolves. Typically, she is an agent of Kita who is, herself, an outstanding loa sorceress.**

 **Ibo Lele:**

 **He is independent and hateful; proud of himself and ambitious. He likes to be served exclusively as he doesn't like associating with other loa. Normally relying on people heavily for his food, they still, to this day, know not what particular foods he likes.**

* * *

 **I refrained from adding the backstory of these two along with Bosou because it's going to be mentioned in the future chapters. While these spirits are indeed really worshipped and believed in, their roles in this fiction are strictly fictional and do not express anything related to the actual lore aside from their respective personalities.**

 **For now, I thank you all for your patience and look forward to updating soon as it will be officially one year since I started this fiction! I may do a one-shot contest for a few of you all if you're interested. I'll post details in the next chapter so if you're interested, just let me know and the information will be posted asap. Again, thanks for all the love and support of this fiction and check out "A Demons Kiss" if you'd like to see an alternate journey for Liam and friends. It's already three chapters in and I'm currently working on the fourth.**

 **See ya next time, guys!**


	40. Chapter 35

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 35: Reflections in the Water**

 **"My soul is impatient with itself, as with a bothersome child; its restlessness keeps growing and is forever the same. Everything interests me, but nothing holds me. I attend to everything, dreaming all the while. […]. I'm two, and both keep their distance — Siamese twins that aren't attached."**  
 **― Fernando Pessoa, The Book of Disquiet.**

* * *

The blast completely obliterated nearly the entire top half of the beach house, leaving what remained to slowly crumble under the shower of embers. For Cecilia, this was a bit of overkill as she found no sign of her nephew or the girl who closely resembled Tori. The only thing that remained was the lone figure of a possessed Beck standing won what was left of the attic floor.

Flickering flames lapped at the sky before her as the malevolent spirit, turned its attention to the sorceress, a wicked gleam in his eyes. Despite the warm weather, she couldn't shake off the cold stare gnawing at her soul.

'He's much more brutal than I remember...' Cecilia wrapped her arms around her torso while a bead of sweat ran down her copper skin. "I would be best if I..."

"Best if you?" a deep voice sliced through the air behind the woman.

Turning around swiftly, she now found herself staring eye to eye with the malicious Loa, hellfire staring back at the icy maiden's apprehensive gaze. "Ibo Lele! I didn't expect you to have acquired your revenge so smoothly."

"Is that doubt I sense in you?" 'Beck' wagged his finger at her as a playful smirk twitched on his face. "I must say, you've fallen off after all of these years... I'm a little disappointed, to be honest."

Not one to be made a fool of, Cecilia did her best to calm herself, her hands resting on her hips in a desperate attempt at maintaining some degree of control of the scenario playing out before her.

"Disappointed or not, we had a deal Loa..." her heart skipped a beat at the sudden exertion of aggression towards the controlled youth. "In exchange for your revenge, you agree to assist me in my vengeance."

"The child still lives though," he interrupted causing a sudden burst of energy surging from the demon. He then turned his gaze to the sands beneath his feet, unbridled fury channeled at the pure grains. "Both Bosou and Marinette are durable, to say the least. I know they're still around somewhere... hiding."

"That may be, but a deal's a deal!"

"Do not forget who wields the powers of devils, woman!"

"And you'd do best not to forget who summoned you in the first place AND who holds the power to return you to that whence you came."

Two conflicting forces, woman vs demon, clashed with the embers of destruction flickering behind them. Beneath Cecilia, a shadow flinched at the aura of bloodlust radiated only to watch in confusion at the duel grins that surfaced upon their faces. It would be the Loa though who'd erupt in a hearty laugh, its cackles piercing the burning sky.

"It seems you have learned a thing or two since our last encounter, Cecilia. Perhaps, you've transcended the one who tamed Bakulu..." He watched as the woman's lips folded downward, sinking into a firm scowl, strongly rooted in repugnance at his comparison. "Relax mortal, it was simply, as you humans put it, a joke..."

While it was clear that she was not amused, Cecilia soon remembered the circumstances surrounding them.

"All joking aside, I believe we should make our exit before the authorities arrive. No doubt, someone's reported this blaze by now..."

Without another word, 'Beck' agreed with a simple nod to the one who claimed control before following her into the shadows, leaving no traces of their presence behind.

* * *

True to his words, it seemed that both Lola and Liam had survived the inferno that engulfed them inside of the beach house. The waves crashing against the shores did little to help the two survivors as they willed themselves back to land. Both had narrowly avoided being charred completely by the intense heat that surrounded them as they limped through the sand to the lone vehicle sitting in the open lot. The crackling flames combined with the collapsing home only gave them more motivation to escape the area, no doubt adding more trauma in the process. After trudging for what seemed like ages, the soaking wet pair managed to make it to Liam's car.

Despite the pain coursing throughout his body, the young man wasted little time in helping the scared Lola inside before gingerly entering the car himself. His muscles screamed for him to just pass out, his lungs burning with each inhale and exhale. Had it been any other situation, he would've listened and allowed the sweet embrace of unconsciousness to take over his mind and body, but, there was someone else that he felt responsible for sitting next to him.

 _'Lola...'_ he cut his eyes at the soaked and frightened girl. _'Why does she look just like Tori?'_

His question would have to wait as the sounds of sirens wailed in the distance, prompting him to start the engine and pull off into the night before anyone would arrive to inquire what had happened. Rubber drilled against asphalt while the pair made it back to the main road just before a series of lights flashed behind them.

Instinctively, he pressed down on the pedal in order to put some much-needed distance between them and the emergency vehicles that had arrived at the scene. They were fortunate enough that the whoever was driving the fire truck was more concerned with the inferno than them and as they turned into the lot near the burning home, Liam was about to disappear around the corner without being noticed. Once they were in the clear, he turned on the heat so that neither of them would catch a cold from the damp clothing clinging to their bodies.

"Thank God..." he muttered, coughing a little from some water that was trying to slip into his windpipe. "The last thing we need are police right now..."

"Are you kidding me?" his passenger's brown orbs bulged at him as if he'd grown a second head and a tail. "We should've stayed and reported what happened and..."

"And what? How do you plan to explain two teenagers being the only ones near a burning building in the middle of nowhere?" His voice held no ill will towards the girl, but, it was more than clear that his frustration was getting the better of him. Hearing no response, he deduced that he'd somehow hurt her feelings causing him to sigh softly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so aggressive with you, To- er... I mean Lola."

He continued down the isolated path, sparing a glance at the still silent young woman, her eyes downcast as if lost in a sea of nothingness that threatened to strangle her should she dare to utter so much as a single word in response. He felt this and more radiating from her. He saw the aura of rejection sticking to her like tar making him feel even more guilty for his outburst.

"I'm really sorry, alright...?" he spared another glance before noticing a sign that read '2 miles to Malibu Heights' that made him recalibrate his vision to the path in front of him.

"That name..." her voice was no louder than a whisper; a hollow stare greeting the boy.

"Huh?"

"You almost called me her name again, just then..."

"I- I didn't mean to..."

His failed attempt at explaining himself only resulted in him stammering over her words to which the brunette found completely comical, a fact made apparent by her giggling.

"It's okay," she placed her left hand on his cold, wet shoulder. "But, it does make me curious as to who this girl is that you mistook me for."

Now it was Liam's turn to go silent, his voice chained down by the burden in which still produced no reward for his efforts. His eyes, the windows to his eternal soul dulled in color as his mind replayed everything that'd happened in only a few seconds.

Tori and Jade leaving him to question their status as a couple.

The pair being kidnapped by his own sister and his treacherous aunt.

Even now, he'd lost a good friend in Beck who had just tried to barbeque him and Lola back at the beach.

"Just another failure..." he murmured, his tone haunted by the past day and a half.

"I don't get it... Did something happen?"

"..."

"Oh come on! Don't give me the silent treatment now."

"..."

"So you're really going to just ignore me?"

"Where do you live?" he turned his attention to the exit, gliding along the rampway that would lead them to bright lights of the upbeat city, completely avoiding her attempts at conversation. "I need to get you to safety before going after that guy."

Once more Lola would go quiet, this time from her resolve of pettiness. She crossed her arms to emphasize her determination, effectively giving him a headache.

"Come on, I don't have all night!" he said, glaring.

"I don't remember!"

"Clearly..." he droned, sarcasm dripping from his lips.

"Maybe you talking with me will jog my memory?"

If it were possible, Liam would've blown a gasket from her tactics but, he managed to keep a cool head in spite of his instincts.

"Fine, so talk..."

"Who is Tori?"

"Not that..."

"Did I live under the San Francisco Bridge?" she obnoxiously feigned ignorance once again.

"You know, there's nothing stopping me from dropping you off on the next block."

"True. But you wouldn't do that," she smirked. "You're too good of a guy to do that."

"You seem to have me all figured out, don't you?"

"A little bit," her grin steadily growing. "You're not at all like that guy that attacked us earlier. You're actually pretty sweet when you're not brooding."

"I'll take that compliment..." he smirked at her remark. "But, I really do need to get you home and-"

Suddenly, Liam felt a sharp pain on his left side that forced his arm to start twitching violently. His first instinct was to pull over, but for some reason, his left hand wouldn't respond. Lola soon noticed this abrupt shift as soon as she felt the vehicle jerk slightly to the right before resuming its original spot on the street.

"Hey, are you alright?" He wanted to tell her yes; he didn't want to worry her any more than she might've already been, yet, from his mouth came only a shallow breath that hitched every time he even thought of answering. His mind racing, the boy grunted as he struggled to hold onto whatever control he still held over himself. "Liam, what's wrong?!"

The burning sensation only intensified as the boy began to break out into a sweat. His vision soon became hazy and his reactions became that much more capricious as his mouth felt dry.

Then, darkness...

* * *

Somehow, Liam managed to open his eyes after his little episode earlier only to find himself floating in an unfamiliar room. He turned his head and saw that wherever he was, there appeared to be no escape. Doing the same to the other side, he found more of the same, a dark void surrounding him. He then managed to sit up, his cognizance screaming for some form of explanation for the where he currently was.

 **"It seems you're finally awake, boy,"** He turned his attention towards the source of the voice. **"I was beginning to think you'd spend the remainder of your time here asleep."**

"What the hell?" Liam rubbed his eyes. "Where am I?"

Before him, a rather tall and muscular man wearing a hooded cloak that revealed his torso. His face and left side were adorned with white tribal markings that solidified his role as a warrior. Under the hood, his dark bronze eyes burned into the teenager's soul, making him appear even more ferocious while his long hair hung freely around his neck.

 **"You're in your own soul..."**

"My soul?"

 **"Yes. I've summoned you here so that you wouldn't succumb to your injuries."**

Before he could ask the obvious question, Liam remembered the hellacious burning that caused him to blackout. As expected, he lifted his shirt, finding that half of his abdomen was now a dark shade of purple rather than his usual brown skin. The grotesque marks from where the flames must've singed deeper made him want to gag but, he settled on slowly returning the clothing to its default position.

"So, I guess it's safe to assume that you're the spirit that my aunt forced inside of me back in New Orleans? Bosou, right?"

The figure nodded.

"I guess the question I should be asking is why did you 'summon' me into my... my soul."

 **"I did so for two reasons,"** he lifted the hood revealing his full features. **"The first was so that I could take over your body so that I can heal your wounds. It seems my brother, Ibo Lele did quite a number on you."**

Liam held his tongue, giving the Loa his undivided attention.

 **"You should be nearly done healing so that leaves me little time to explain. I called you here to dissuade you from going after that woman or your friend."**

"What? Why?!" his irate voice echoed throughout the void. "In case you haven't noticed, my girlfriends have been kidnapped..."

 **"I'm well aware."**

"Then you should understand why I'm going to save them!"

 **"And how do you plan on doing that, brat!?"** Bosou's thunderous tone forced the boy to shiver along with the world around him. **"You are nowhere near ready to handle that witch, let alone Ibo Lele! If you face him again as you are now, you'll surely be destroyed. Have you already forgotten what my brother has done to you?!"**

Liam grit his fangs, the hard reality of the not too distant past returned to his mind. The truth of his defeat at the hands of his possessed associate stung him more than any burn ever could. If he had to make a comparison, he was a fly taking on a dragon.

"I'll never forget..." he growled.

 **"Listen, while I'm not a fan of being locked away inside of a human, I can say that you have the potential to fully channel my strength without losing your consciousness,"** Bosou stared at his host, studying the smoldering rage welling up within Liam. **"For now, you have to wake up but, we will meet again."**

Snapping out of his thoughts, the teen looked at the spirit in front of him.

"Wait! How can I reach you?"

Bosou smirked, a small wave of arrogance emitting from him as his image dissolved into a ball of light. **"You DO know how to meditate don't you, child? Do that, and we'll meet again very soon, okay?"**

* * *

 **-Natural World-**

"...Okay...?" a soft voice tore him from the familiar warmth of darkness. "Liam are you okay?"

He started to stir, lids fluttering rapidly before they rose steadily. His vision was a bit blurred at first, but he didn't need clear eyesight to know who was near him; her presence was all too familiar.

"L-Lola?" It was all he could muster through his raspy voice.

"So, you were telling the truth," another feminine voice caught his ear. "He apparently seems to know who you are."

As his vision began to clear up, Liam began to make out the identities of the two observing him. The first, and obvious, face belonged to Lola whose expression soon morphed from worry to relief after seeing that he was moving once more. It was the second person, a pale-skinned girl wearing thick-rimmed glasses, who was unfamiliar to him. Unlike Lola, her face had an unreadable calmness as she inspected him.

"I'm so glad you're awake!" the former captive smiled brightly, a vexing yet, soothing visual to behold.

"Hey," his lips curled upward slightly, thankful that she was safe.

"I suggest you don't say too much right now," the other girl chimed in swiftly. "You're wound has thankfully closed but, the singed flesh will take a bit more time to heal."

Almost on cue, Liam would feel a sharp pain in his lower left side as he tried to sit up forcing him to lie back down. A myriad of emotions flashed through his grimace, letting the girls know that he was understandably upset with his current condition. For her part, Lola decided to direct the situation elsewhere.

"Thanks, Quinn," she smiled warmly at the nerdy brunette. "I think I can take it from here."

Flashing a glance at her that asked if she was certain only to get a nod in response. Instead of making a protest, she silently obliged to the request and made her way towards the door.

"Alright, I'll come back in a few hours to make sure your recovery is going well."

"Understood..." he gingerly gave a thumbs up, thankfully no aggravating his injuries.

The two waited until Quinn's presence was no longer felt within the four walls of the room, tipping the mood more towards a more familiar direction. It was clear that Liam was still exhausted as shown when he could barely keep his eyes from closing on him.

"How do you feel?" she placed a hand on the back of his own.

It took a few moments, but whatever amount of anxiety she possessed was pushed aside when she saw his lips turn upward. Mahogany followed from there towards his weary gaze, studying the dark rings under his optics.

"Yeah," he coughed softly. "Whatever you two did, I think it's working."

"I didn't do much..." she looked away from him in hopes of hiding her heated cheeks. "It was Quinn who was able to heal you through her science. I just stood by while she worked on you."

Not convinced, Liam forced himself into a seated posture, gritting his teeth as the burning, while dull, still irked him significantly.

"Be careful!"

"I'm fine, Lola..." he grunted, tightening his lids until the pain subsided.

"I'm going to get Quinn," she began heading to the door.

"Who brought me here?" the inquiry brought her steps to a grinding halt. By this point, she had nearly cleared the threshold when his question caught her attention. "And where is 'here' anyways, Lola?"

She turned around, blinking several times at the bedridden young man. Doe's eyes began to stare back as she let out a sigh, a sign of defeat for the time being as his own gaze matched hers. Time stood still as silence bathed the two in its discomfiture. Slowly, her right hand found itself clutching her shirt sleeve, the first thing that Liam noticed since waking up from his unintended slumber. When he was driving her earlier, she was outfitted with a pair of slim jeans a navy top that fit her perfectly where now, it was clear that she'd discarded the damp clothes in favor of some Hello Kitty pajama pants and pink shirt.

Then it dawned on him...

"Lola, where are my clothes?" Terror exuded from his face; his perception of things finally catching up to him as he felt the soft sheets caressing his bare skin underneath. Couple this with the unexpected giggle from the girl across from him, it was evident that he had his answer now...

"In order: I took the wheel after you passed out. You're in the spare dorms at Pacific Coast Academy and..." she averted their contact, trying her best, and failing to suppress the pink tint from appearing in full force. "As far as your clothes, there in the campus dryer. I was going to check on them in a little while after seeing how you were doing. I didn't try and look at you, I swear! I have a boyfriend..."

Liam watched as the flustered Lola stammered over her next few sentences, amused at her reaction to his probing.

"Relax,..." he chuckled. "Thanks for helping me when I was down and out. I truly appreciate it."

Hearing the sincerity in voice, Lola let out a faint giggle, her melodious voice reminding him of Tori. Soon, the quiet returned, settling on the two, this time with a calmness that made them both feel better about what they'd endured earlier.

"W-well... I-I should g-get going... I'm sure your things are finished drying by now."

"Oh, right... Thanks again, Lola."

"I suggest you get some rest and I'll check in on you in the morning." Liam nodded and watched Lola make her departure only to catch her returning within seconds to give him a quick peck on the cheek. "That's my way of saying thank you for rescuing me."

Soon, she left him again to ponder everything that'd occurred that night; his mind drifting off from one thing to another until his thoughts began to lull him to sleep, comforting him from the painful reality of not yet finding Tori or Jade.

Unknown to him, the spirit within was meditating, albeit with a soft smile resting on his typically dour face. If one were to take a gander as to this sudden change in demeanor, they'd never figure that it was the sheer enjoyment that the warrior entity felt from being near his beloved, Marinette. It was clear that somehow, through this boy he'd find himself bound to, Bosou would end up being reunited with his love.

"Perhaps," his voice flowed like a gentle stream. "there is some promise to this one..."

* * *

Several hours passed since the attack on the two teens and things only began to grow more convoluted. After leaving the scene of the crime, Cecilia was on the verge of succumbing to a full on migraine from dealing with the rebellious and lecherous Loa residing inside of Beck. For now, she was glad that he'd taken a rest in hopes of regaining his strength after committing such a blatant move such as torching the beach house. For now, this left the weakened boy under the watchful eye of her daughter, Ahrya who did well to secure her boy-toy to her bed for some "R&R". Though she was perfectly capable of handling object of her obsession, the former Bayou Queen was concerned about Ibo Lele trying to break the seal mark and going rogue.

To make matters a bit more difficult, her mind would direct her to a more pressing matter; two matters to be exact.

Tori Vega & Jade West.

Having previously moved the girls to an abandoned mental hospital, the middle-aged woman strolled down the many corridors of the formerly condemned building, her heels echoing throughout the spacious building. She stopped momentarily at a room where she peered inside, spotting her more receptive captive curled up in a fetal position on the single twin sized bed.

Upon further inspection through the clear window-like opening in the door, she studied the brunette's posture, noting the despair and hopelessness pouring from her very essence. It'd only been a little over 24 hours since kidnapping her, but it was clear by her vacant stare, her will was nearly broken. Cecilia felt a slight pang hit her heart at the poor child's plight, yet it did little to deter her own resolve for vengeance; She'll make good use of the hollow shell that remained if needed.

She proceeded onward, her mind preparing for her next prisoner, the defiant goth who contributed to her demise back in New Orleans. Unlike Tori Vega, Jade was far from pure, and she was actually looking forward to breaking her in any way possible. She left the main floor, traversing down a flight of stairs into a worn out rustic hall where stifled threats and obscenities filled the cryptic corridors. She paid little mind to what was said, rather, following them until she found herself staring at a lone entrance that would double as a dead end. In front of the doorway, a stoic Robbie Shapiro stood guard, like a soldier given their orders to remain unreadable and intimidating to any who sought to get past.

Cecilia could feel the murderous intention seeping through the cracks of the room which prompted her to proceed with a caution; she was capable of handling a teenage girl, but, she learned not to underestimate this one. By now, the threats had only grown louder and vicious from the makeshift prison.

"Let me inside," she watched as the curly haired boy stepped to the side, allowing her access inside. She approached a small keypad and pressed a short series of digits before a soft hiss granted her entry.

Inside, the room was nothing more than a padded cell with the pale and furious Jade sitting along the far wall with a demonic glare directed at the much older woman though the latter had little to worry about as she shut the metal door behind her.

"Are we comfortable Ms. West?" she leaned against the plush surface, her arms resting under the massive breasts. She noted how quiet the teen became even though her glare still remained. "You must forgive me for the rather unorthodox wardrobe change but, it was for your own good."

Jade tugged at the sleeves that kept her limbs secured around her torso.

"I'd be a bit more comfortable if you'd let me out of this thing..." she returned in a mockingly sweet tone. "It's a bit tight around my chest and it's difficult to breathe."

"We both know that's not happening," the voodoo priestess scoffed. "Besides, if you had just been a good little girl, you wouldn't be in this dreadful place, to begin with. You shouldn't have tried to escape so many times..."

"What can I say," Jade sneered. "I've never been one for conformity and rules." She expected her captor to become angered, the raven-haired girl was surprised to find her chuckling.

"You're correct, hence the reason you're here while your significant other is in a more pleasant situation while you get to enjoy the loony bin. I'd say that you'd make for a good ally if you weren't so stubborn."

"Call it my charm..." she smirked.

"Whatever you call it, it does little to help you, Ms. West." The woman began to make her departure but stopped short. "That's what Liam learned firsthand..."

The hammer had been dropped as whatever advantage Jade figured she had slowly disappeared as her eyes widened in horror.

"You're just saying that..." she growled, darkness filling her azure orbs with hatred and a smoldering rage.

"Am I?" she giggled.

"You wouldn't kill your own nephew!" By now, there was a high degree of desperation behind her words, a fact that both pleased and amused Cecilia. "He's my soulmate! He couldn't die yet!"

The corners of the darker woman's lips slithered up before turning around again. Before crossing the threshold, she gazed over her shoulder, her eyes resting on a sight that truly made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. Jade West, shaking her head at the implication of his demise, couldn't believe... no... wouldn't believe that Liam was dead. This woman- this monster staring back at her was openly bragging about murdering her own flesh and blood in her quest for retribution?

The shaman then saw something that would prove instrumental in her plot: A spark. Behind the gateways of Jade's soul, she accurately noticed the glint of hellacious and fiendish aura emitting as warm jewels leaked down her face.

"My dear, just like you, I'm full of surprises." She stepped out, allowing the door to slam behind her. The soft sobs from the padded prison made her smile stretch that much more; her glee clearly a result of the goth's misery.

In truth, she knew that her relative was still alive, as well as the girl who resembled Tori, Lola... Given that both held the mighty spirits of the Bayou within their souls, it was a no-brainer that they'd survive though, they weren't exempt from whatever injuries they'd sustain from that malicious assault.

None of that mattered now to her right now. What did though was, for the time being, everything was going according to plan. She had Liam where she wanted him, incautious and injured. She had Tori and now Jade eating out of the palm of her hand, filled with hopelessness and despair. Beck was possessed and under the control of her only daughter. Robbie, who was willing to do anything for her daughter was even in on the plan without any convincing. All that was left to enact her revenge were two more souls to wrap around her fingers and she'd certainly have everything she needed in order to proceed onward.

She returned upstairs to be addressed by several shadow creatures who bowed upon discerning her presence, A few moments later, she entered the largest room in the facility, the main office where two young women sat, their frames surrounded by the dark tendrils of Jericho who, in his human form, smirked and nodded at his mistress and love.

"How much longer until they're converted?"

"Another minute or so and they'll both be willing to obey your every command," he paused, eyebrowed closely knit as he turned to the full-figured woman whose hands were clenched into fists, an indication of her resilience. "However, this one seems to be a bit difficult to completely turn."

Heels clacked against the tiled floor as she made her way to the desk, each step bringing her aching feet nearer to relief. She took a seat then took a closer inspection of the pair. "What of the other one?"

This time, the shade flashed an evil smile. "Her partner was more than willing to give herself up after she found out our goal. It seems she holds a bit of resentment towards him."

Nodding, she turned her attention back to the insolent girl next to her future ally. "It makes sense. This one is still connected to my "dear" nephew; a tightly woven web of love and guilt still shrouds her heart." she leaned forward, seeing deep inside of her soul.

What she found was a cornucopia of regret and damage from years back. The truth of the turmoil inflicted upon herself and those tied to her boiled over, marking the poor boy as it's unfortunate recipient of her overflowing cauldron of problems. If she herself didn't keep such resentment at the young man, she would've felt compassion for all that he'd endured after that.

Desiring love and acceptance from someone they knew couldn't give it back; it was truly the fate of many who sought such worthless sentiments. Cecilia pulled herself from the girl's inner temple, understanding of the situation now more than ever. She soon looked up to Jericho, who looked puzzled for a moment, giving him a dark simper that let him know that she was back.

"I want you to rewrite her memories until she's as compliant as her younger sibling. I want her ready for this reunion, understood?"

Without hesitation, the creature of the abyss agreed. "Yes, my queen!"

Satisfied, she took one more look at the two lovers, content with their upcoming roles while their grunts and whimpers intensified under the spell of the malicious tendrils enveloping them both.

"Mercedes & Trina, I'm sure you both will serve me well."


	41. Chapter 36

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 36: Past the Breaking Point**

* * *

Warm rays peeked through the curtains of the guest dorm where Liam rested, his face tickled by the tiny waves slipping through the navy material. A soft grin began to form on the boy's lips while simultaneously, he tugged at the soft comforter in a slumber induced attempt to protect his exposed shoulders from the cool air around him. His consciousness elsewhere, Liam failed to notice the two pairs of eyes watching/analyzing his every move. The first pair, warm mahogany looked on with a weird sense of interest while the other cast a skeptical eye, behind the glasses that rested on her face.

"It looks like your patient's doing a bit better," Quinn adjusted her specs. She took in the lopsided grin on Lola's face, wondering just what could've possibly brought along said expression. "...and it appears that you're pretty enthused about that."

"Huh?" Lola snapped out of her inner musing, jerking her head in the direction of her intellectual friend. "What do you mean?"

Shaking her head, Quinn let out a long sigh. "Seriously, Lola... You're worse than Dana used to be when it comes to boys."

Lola didn't take kindly to the accusation, a fact made evident when she placed her hands on her hips and frowning.

"What exactly are you implying?" she hissed, hoping not to wake the sleeping male.

"Oh save it," Quinn pushed her glasses back on the bridge of her nose. "Ever since you brought him here, he's all you can talk about. You even canceled your date with Vince just so you could be around when he woke up; your own boyfriend had to play second fiddle to a complete stranger..." Sensing that things were about to escalate very quickly, Lola Martinez grabbed her best friend's arm, dragging her outside of the small room. Once the door was shut, she flashed a cold gaze upon her. "What is your problem?"

"Why did you have to bring Vince into this? You know where we both stand in this relationship!" her words came out more like a plea than an angry fact of the matter.

"All I'm saying is that you've put a lot more interest into this unknown guy-,"

"His name is Liam..."

"Fine, Liam," Quinn waved off the warning tone. "My point is, it's obvious that you're into this guy while still in a relationship with someone else. That's not healthy nor is it smart, given how he'll react when he finds out the reason you've been so distant with him because of another attractive guy."

Crossing her arms, it seemed that neither girl was willing to let up on the other about this subject when, seemingly out of nowhere, the corners of Lola's lips started twitching upward. Understandably, this left the normally well informed Quinn Pensky in a state of confusion as she tilted her head.

"So, you think he's cute too?" she smirked triumphantly as the genius started shifting her weight onto her left leg; a sign that she was at a disadvantage. "I knew it!"

"S-shut up!" now it was Quinn's turn to fail at appearing angry which only brought a smirk of satisfaction on her friend's features; It didn't make anything better when the girl's glasses began to fog up slightly either. "What matters right now is his recovery's going. After seeing him last night, his body suffered some severe burns that I was, thankfully, able to diminish to second degree. He may need to go to the hospital if he doesn't show further signs of improvement."

Quinn then made her way past her best friend, leaving the weight of her words to press down on her.

* * *

Jade couldn't take it anymore. Being held against her will and restrained inside of a padded cell was beginning to take its toll on the poor girl. Dark circles were extensively visible as she'd not been to able to acquire a decent nights worth of rest since being captured. By now, the days had rolled together due to not seeing so much as a glimpse of the outside world since that day.

The day she turned her back on Liam...

On that day, she admittedly was a bit miffed at her boyfriend for keeping the information of his college acceptance letters from her and Tori but, she only left in an attempt to console the upset girl before they embarked on their weekend trip. In her mind, the plan was to talk Tori down from her emotional ledge in hopes of quelling her anger towards the distraught boy they knew and loved. By the time the weekend ended, they would have an important talk about it and settle things with him making things up through lewd means.

Unfortunately, this wasn't the case as she later found out the truth involving her Latina lover once they departed for their trip: This wasn't Tori...

"How could I have been so stupid?" she spat, her tired eyes burning both from the bright light above her as well as her own inner loathing. "I'm such an idiot."

A powerful tremor overtook her, contained only by the forced position of her arms holding her frame. A single drop of grief fell unopposed down her ivory cheek only to be followed by hot torrents of her unadulterated anguish coursing down her face. She bit her lip, the only thing possible given her predicament, choking back the sobs that revealed the depths of her tangled mind. At this point, she didn't care about if Cecilia or anyone else saw her like this; the only thing mattering now was the position they were all in. From Tori being a 'patient' of this wack job facility to Ahrya and Robbie's hand in all of this, her mind appeared to focus on one person in particular.

Jade, unable to stretch her limbs due to the straight jacket, settled with leaning back against the plush walls of her prison while contemplating the extent of her suffering already committed by her captors. "Liam..." her lips parted just enough to muster out his name; the name that once brought her so much joy and comfort. "Please forgive me..."

"He's the last one you need to beg forgiveness from," a feminine voice broke the goth from her thoughts. "If I were you, I'd be more concerned with what's going to befall yourself rather than my brother, witch."

She expected a snarky statement, some form of comeback that would ignite the back and forth that they were both so used to engaging in. However, she was taken aback to see the raven-haired woman staring up with something so foreign behind her orbs: Brokenness.

"Go away..." she muttered, no conviction to be found in her warning.

Amethyst studied the sight in front of her, both intrigued and disappointed. What she expected to find was a rabid monster ready to maim her upon her appearance, not a wounded animal begging to be left alone.

"I have to admit," she sighed as she leaned her body against the door frame. "I'm a bit disappointed in you, Jade. I thought you'd put up more of a fight..."

Mustering up what little energy she could, Jade let out a mirthless chuckle, the corners of her lips twitching as if unsure of whether to grin or frown at the imposter watching her.

"I thought you'd be leaping for joy at the sight of me like this."

"You'd think that, huh?" Ahrya strolled further into the lion's den, none too worried about her prisoner. As she dropped on one knee, inspecting the defeated form of her adversary, she dug her fingers into midnight strands and, with a firm grip, pulled Jade's head upward until they were eye to eye. "Well, the only thing that will bring me joy is when big brother comes to his senses and finally leaves you two for someone worth his time."

"Like you?" the sarcasm dripped richly with each word uttered. "What? Are you gonna summon him from the dead or something? That might the only way you'd get a guy to like you legitimately. Look at Shapiro..."

This earned her a backhanded slap across her cheek, though it did little to deter her from her victory, no matter how minuscule it may have seemed.

"It seems my mother's been to see you as well." she tucked her brown hair behind her right ear.

"Yeah, she's told me everything about how she had him murdered, though, I don't believe she's done that."

"Why not?" Ahrya asked with sincerity. "What makes you think she didn't kill him?"

"Because I'm still alive..."

"I see you still have some fire left in you," she glowered while tugging harder on the girl's black locks; Her hot breath forced Jade's nose to crinkle in disgust from the rancid scent. "Good. I'll enjoy watching that last glimmer of hope fade away. Another day in here should do the trick..."

Unable to do anything else, Jade did the unthinkable, she spat in Ahrya's face. "Do your worse, bitch. Nothing you do will break me so long as I know Liam's looking for us!" she simpered triumphantly. "Do your worse."

Half expecting to be slapped again, if not something far worse, the pale-skinned teen was surprised when she felt the tiny limbs release her. She continued to watch warily as the girl silently began to exit the small room. She wiped away the bodily fluid from her picture-perfect skin as she neared the door and, much like her mother though, she had to have the last word as she peered over her shoulder, a sinister glee dancing behind her eyes.

"I hope you hold on to that fire when my brother returns," her soft tone hid the rage burning within. "That is IF he returns."

At a loss for words, Jade felt her breath hitch in her throat as the steel door slammed, sealing her inside the maddening room for only Lord knew how long as a familiar stinging in her azure portals.

"N-no... I know you're alive, tiger. " she whimpered at the eerie words shuffling around her already fragile psyche. "Please be..."

* * *

The morning came and went for Lola as she once more approached the door that held her handsome patient; that pronoun caused her to blush profusely.

"Get it together, girl!" she hissed while lightly slapping herself. "You have a boyfriend and he obviously has a girlfriend."

Her mind took her back to the prior night when the two met. He was her inadvertent knight in shining armor and her, his unintentional princess in distress. The comfort she felt in her core when she locked onto those pools of emerald caused her body to feel a way she'd not known since the dance last year with her current lover, Vince.

Once more she would catch herself fawning over the injured young man and had to shake her head in an attempt to shut down the progression of such inappropriate thoughts.

"Snap out of it girl," she chanted to herself.

"Snap out of what?"

With a light squeak, Lola felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest as she turned around to face the person who frightened her. To her relief (or concern depending on how you view it), she found herself face to face with none other than Vince.

'Speak of the devil...' she mentally cursed. "You scared me!"

"Sorry, babe..." he held his hands up defensively.

"So, what's up? Have you been stalking me or something?" She tried to play the statement off as a joke but, it did little to hide the creepy sensation she was getting from the guy she was in a relationship.

"Yeah, I've been looking for you all day and Zoey said I might find you here in the guest hall."

"Thanks a lot, Zoey..." she groaned under her breath. "I just came here to check up on someone before heading to this class rep meeting. I could've just met you there since we both are in it."

"True, but, I was hoping we could walk there together." He raised an eyebrow at Lola's dismissive tone as well as her uncomfortable demeanor around him. It wasn't something that he missed but rather, something he'd elected to ignore. "I mean, we are boyfriend & girlfriend."

"Yes, Vince... I just need to check up on my guest here and I'll meet you there, alright?"

To say this didn't sit well with Lola's significant other would be an understatement as his nostrils began to flare. Many knew how Vince had a jealous side but very few knew to what extent it could progress. Unfortunately, Lola was a part of that few as she felt his large hand wrap around her wrist just as she turned to enter the room.

"Ow! Vince, let me go!" she looked around only to find nobody else in the hallway with them. "You're hurting me."

"Who is he? Are you fucking him behind my back?" his glare flashed with a ferocity that spelled trouble for the petite girl, and there would nobody to spare her from his wrath. "Is he bigger than me? Is he better than me?"

"Please let me go!" she tightly knit her eyes, trying her hardest to push back the wince that crept up from her lungs.

"Not until you tell me who the bastard is!" she heard him roar while feeling spit and the stench of onions on his breath.

The dysfunctional couple then heard a crash that claimed both of their attention. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Lola, with as much force as she could muster, kneed the unsuspecting boy in the groin, forcing him to release his grip on her wrist. As he fell to the ground writhing in the pain pulsating in his nether-region, she wasted no time in entering the room and shutting the door swiftly behind her. In spite of his the shock surging through his lower half, Vince stumbled to his feet and tugged at the door handle only to find it locked.

"LOLA!" his roar echoing throughout the quiet building. "Open the damn door! NOW!"

Silence.

The next several minutes consisted of Vince slamming his fists against the fortified door while shouting obscenities while she waited fearfully. A part of her mind wanted to open the door and plea with the hyper-aggressive boy to spare the injured Liam from whatever punishment awaited but, she figured it best to remain where she was.

"Fine," she heard him seething. "We're through, Martinez! I heard that Trisha's been wanting me ever since we hooked up. Have a nice life."

Sounds of feet shuffling against the carpeted floor outside made her hold her breath until her ears couldn't pick up the hellacious presence any further and, for the first time since dating the admittedly cute boy, Lola felt a strange feeling wash over her. It was a feeling that, while familiar, still seemed unknown in a sense.

Peace.

She exhaled slowly, savoring the final breath of fear and worry leave her lungs before turning to find Liam sitting up and staring at her. He blinked without a word while she began to fiddle with her shirt sleeve shyly, doing everything she could to avoid making direct contact with him. For her, she was caught between locking gazes with him and finding herself taken back to the past when they first met and staring at his toned body which would result in her wondering of a potential future.

"Um..." the innocence in his voice pulled her from her dreams. "Is everything alright? I heard a lot of screaming and banging outside and I grew concerned."

"Y-yeah, that was my boy, er- I mean, my EX-boyfriend..."

Curiosity sprouted like a weed, twisting and weaving around the remnants of the boy's mind. "Ex?"

Lola stood nervously shifting her weight from one foot to the other, her hands buried deep in her pockets. She gave a subtle sigh, nodding her head, "Yes. If you didn't hear, he's done with me. I can't say that I blame him though..."

Pulling the covers off of him, Liam shifted his body uncomfortably as if sensing the tense layer of air resting mere inches above the two. "If I didn't know any better, one would think you were blaming yourself for his behavior."

"Well, why not?" by now, the girl had removed her hands from the warm pockets and was steadily rubbing her shirt sleeve. "If I hadn't come here when I did, he wouldn't have had to get angry with me. I'm fine with accepting that I should've been a better girlfriend and prioritized things better."

"You're wrong..." His words, monotoned and gripping, sliced through the thick shroud of despair that surrounded the young woman, forcing her to gaze at him with wide eyes full of alarm. "You shouldn't take the blame for someone else's personal issues."

"But, it IS my fault!" she retorted, her tone nearly unrecognizable to even herself. "He only gets like that when he feels that I wasn't paying him enough attention."

"That's NOT your problem," his voice now dropped to an icy note that made Lola unable to resist the need to shiver. His normally warm emeralds had darkened to depths many deemed impossible to reach. "From what you explained, it sounds like that Vince guy is nothing more than a toxic fuck boy..."

"Don't talk about him like that!" She managed to summon some degree of strength that fled just as quickly as it came as she turned her vision towards the blue carpet under her feet. "It's not his fault he's like that..."

"But, it is his responsibility..."

"W-what?" her bottom lip flinched lightly.

"We aren't to blame for the things that were developed within us as children but, we must hold ourselves accountable for who we become once we're old enough to make our own decisions. He is no exception..." before the girl could respond, he held up a hand. "He might have a legitimate reason for why he flies off of the handle like he did, but, we're about to be adults and the cold world doesn't care about our problems. He has to take responsibility for the way he acts and treats others, including you, Lola."

Another lengthy silence filled the room, allowing Lola the half Mexican girl to digest the words of her acquaintance. In her mind, his words made perfect sense in principle but, as with many things in her life, she still battled with her emotional side that sought to contradict the sensible doctrines.

"What gives you the right to say such self-righteous things?" she raised a vindictive eyebrow, followed by a soft scowl.

To her dismay, Liam seemed to ignore her challenging tone. "Because I had to learn that lesson on my own..." For the first time, his eyes appeared downcast, a total contrast to his typical confident attitude. "I used to be angry all of the time because of my home life but, one day I was sat down and given a reality check that made me re-evaluate the direction my life was headed. It's because of them that I was able to become a better man now..."

"Them?"

"Tori & Jade..."

"I see..." Lola blushed, feeling ashamed of her harsh judgment earlier. "No wonder you were so disappointed when you found me."

"N-no...!" he shook his head violently, hoping to dissuade the dejected girl from her statement. "I-I mean, I was disappointed that it wasn't Tori but, I am glad that I was able to rescue you the other night." Now it was his turn to feel the familiar tingle in his cheeks while Lola Martinez felt the corner of her lips twitch upward once more. In her eyes, the embarrassed male was trying his best not to offend her while, at the same time, trying not to give off the wrong signal.

"It's alright. I understood what you meant, Liam." she let out a feather-like giggle only for her mouth to curl down into a soft frown. "Guess I'm stinging pretty hard from being dumped."

"No apology needed," he reached out instinctively to give her a hug. "I know how what you're going through, Lola."

His embrace somehow managed to comfort the girl as she felt herself burying her face in his chest. Strong arms wrapping around her, Lola felt a warmth and safety that was noticeably absent from Vince. The steady rhythm of his heart soothed her mind as she found herself following in time with the beat, each one providing reassurance of better things to come. Soon her breath became inconsistent as the brunette sniffled several times before finally releasing the floodgates of her portals.

As this happened, not once did the young man consider letting her go even as her muffled sobs increased in strength. She mirrored his actions, enveloping his torso with her own limbs as if fearing that she'd be swept away by the waves of her anguish. Hot tears fell without opposition yet, neither made an attempt to move from the spot where they stood; In Liam's case, he viewed the young woman as a fragile vase that could shatter should he release her prematurely. His only action would be a gentle thumb caressing her back.

"It's okay..." his words, barely above a hum, somehow reached the distraught Lola who simply nodded but held onto her emotional life-preserver. Soon, tears threatened to break out of their prison but, through sheer willpower alone, he managed to keep them inside. It was clear that his own heart ached from the thought of both Tori and Jade being held against their will while recalling his own shortcomings with them. Deep from his soul, he began to feel a new sense of determination to find and rescue them. 'I'm going to save you both...'

For now, he would have to be content with being a rock for the sobbing Lola...


	42. Chapter 37

**Demons Within**

 **Chapter 37: Threatened**

* * *

The day came and went for Liam who'd felt something that he'd not felt since the weekend started: Inner Strength. As night settled over the city of Los Angeles, he found himself near the city lines as the wind flowed in his car. The traffic around him did little to distract him from the many thoughts in his head while surveying the surroundings of the place he knew to be home for his entire life.

The lights of the city's nightlife flared all around him, fruitless in its seemingly eternal attempts. Every time something came even remotely close to becoming a disturbance, his mind would shift back to Tori, Jade, and a newly possessed Beck. Rage and determination blended well together to make a perfect brew as his brows knit tightly. Nothing could impede with the thoughts in his head.

Well, almost nothing...

He passed a stop light just at the precise moment that his brain would decide to flash before him the image of none other than a smiling Lola Martinez, instantly triggering a pang of guilt deeply rooted in his heart. Why would he feel this way about a girl he'd barely known 24 hours ago? It was a question that even he didn't know the answer to. Soon the question in his mind continued to linger, forcing him to clench his eyes shut for a moment after hearing the blaring sounds of a car horn rattle him from his internal strife.

"Get it together, Liam..." he began to chant the mantra over and over again. It was only when he finally rid himself of the imagery of her innocent grin did Liam finally let out a breath. Several more blocks zoomed past him until he arrived in a familiar parking lot that led to his dorm. Seeing an open spot, he slowly pulled in and parked the car before turning the machine off then, finally allowed himself to relax since leaving the emotional girl behind. "She'll be better off back at PCA, away from this danger."

"Maybe I like danger?" another voice forced out a rather unmanly yelp, courtesy of his head hitting the ceiling. This was followed up by a playful giggle from the "Tori lookalike" who proceeded to snort at his discomfort. "Never knew you could hit such a high note."

"Ow!" he whined, rubbing the sore spot gingerly. "What the hell?"

"Naughty language..." the feminine voice teasingly pouted.

"Lola? What are you doing here?!" he blinked absentmindedly as she peered from the back seat. "How are you here? I left you sleeping in bed earlier."

"You did," she shrugged nonchalantly. "I snuck out while you were getting dressed."

"B-but..."

"It was dark in the room and you left the window open. There's a flight of stairs in the back of the building that I took before using a short-cut to beat you to the car." Sensing another obvious question, she held up her hand to silence the bewildered boy. "Before you ask, I kind of picked the lock to the back seat just before you arrived," she admitted sheepishly.

"I swear..." he rubbed his left temple in an attempt to stave off a headache trying to form. "You look like Tori but, you act like Jade."

"Knowing what they mean to you, I'll take that as a compliment," she rolled her eyes at his comment. "Regardless, what's the plan?"

"Plan?"

"The plan to rescue those two?"

"There is no plan," he dryly huffed. "I'm going to get my knife and you're going to stay here while I go rescue my girlfriends."

"I doubt that'd be a good idea, little brother."

The two turned to the source of the response, finding a smug dark-skinned woman gazing back at them; a familiar sight to one and mysterious to the other.

"Lucille?" Liam stared slack-jawed at his sister's enigmatic smile. "What are you doing here?"

She was forced to back up a bit as her shocked sibling wasted little time in getting out of the car to greet her with an embrace that nearly took her breath away. Their reunion was stopped short by another voice clearing her throat. Without even looking, Liam knew exactly who it was committing the act and, with a smile that could warm even the hardest glacier, he did the same to his beloved parent.

"MOM!" he shouted like a child on Christmas morning, completely forgetting the task at hand for a moment. "When did you both get here?"

"The much older woman chuckled softly while tearing away from her son's vice grip. "We came to see you." She watched as his head tilted followed by his rubbing the back of his neck. "Your friend called Lucille about a week after you returned home and said something about your... that girl, Ahrya... was disconcerting to him and that prompted us to make plans to come visit." her pause in mentioning Ahrya, along with the way she crinkled her nose, didn't go unnoticed by either Lucille or Liam. The former took the momentary pause to interject herself into the explanation from their troubled mother.

"After you never called us back, we hopped on an express jet that night and flew here as quickly we could. We wanted to make sure you were alright..."

Sensing where things were going, Liam crossed his arms, glancing at his relatives sideways. Both could feel the suspicion oozing from his pores at this point.

"You're telling me that you both came all of this way just to check up on me and ensure I'm doing alright?" he raised an eyebrow to further emphasize his obvious disbelief in their story. "I don't buy it."

"What's not to 'buy'?" His older sibling narrowed her eyes in a challenging manner, almost daring the younger boy to try her. "We care about you, Liam. Don't you believe us?"

"Of course I believe you both care for me," he swiftly replied but, his demeanor didn't budge one bit. "But, you can't convince me that you only came just to see me."

"Are you always like this?"

"Attentive?"

"Distrustful!" she

"Oh!" he threw his hands up. "Well, forgive me for actually having a functioning brain!"

"You sound like a conspiracy theorist!"

"This coming from a spoiled-!"

"Alexandre! Liam!" the outcry from the matriarch cut in, breaking up their petty squabbling for the time being. "While I enjoy the two of you reconnecting and acting like brother & sister, I'd prefer to get to the point." The sounds of the two sighing did little to lower the tension but, for Celeste, it was a step in the right direction. "Now, Liam you're absolutely right. Your sister and I did come to L.A. in order to check on you and your friends but, we also came to handle another piece of business that has reared its ugly head."

"Aunt Cecilia?" she nodded, taking notice of the dark undertone buried underneath his reply.

"Yes. It seems banishing my sister wasn't the way to handle things," she rubbed her forehead repeatedly. "I sensed her presence the moment when entered the city and she's clearly not alone. I can't help but bare the blame for allowing her to use your home as her personal playground."

For what it was worth, Liam empathized with the elder woman's plight; he understood what it meant to have a sibling, direct or not, responsible for such heinous acts. From the moment he found out about her involvement, he couldn't help but feel responsible to a degree for what Ahrya was doing.

"You shouldn't feel bad, mom. None of us thought that all of this was going to happen," he allowed a grin to appear on his lips in hopes of lifting Celeste's spirits. "But, we can't worry about what's happened. Right now, we need to focus on what to do next."

"First, I have three questions," Lucille interjected once more, catching the two's attention. "1. What's happened up to this point?" she then held up two fingers followed shortly by a third. "2. Where is Beck? and 3. What were you and Tori doing in the car?" She raised a dubious eyebrow at the final point.

This prompted both Liam and the unknown girl to jump slightly at the final inquiry. He'd then walk to the vehicle and help her out of the back seat before turning back to his relatives.

"Well um... actually, this isn't actually Tori," he chuckled embarrassedly but found neither woman sharing in his poor effort at witticism. "Her name's Lola Martinez. Lola, this is my mom, Celeste, and my big sister, Lucille."

"So, what happened to Tori and Jade?" his sister asked, skepticism dripping like a leaky faucet.

Realizing he had quite a bit of explaining to do, Liam took a deep breath.

"It all started sometime after we got back from New Orleans."

* * *

Lying in 'her bed', Tori Vega simply stared at the ceiling in complete silence. To most, she would be viewed as the model resident; the type who truly sought rehabilitation and willing to do whatever necessary to attain it. However, the truth was a bit less pleasant as the girl's face remained blank, frozen in an unreadable expression that prevented anyone from knowing what was truly on her mind. One could argue that she had been lobotomized the way she currently was acting. The sounds of birds chirping managed to catch her attention, made evident when she slowly (and creepily) cut her gaze towards them without so much as moving a single muscle.

She wanted to smile and get a closer look at the adorable grasshopper sparrow but, for some reason, she couldn't bring her body to respond to her mind's instruction, at least not right away. There was a major delay in her body's reaction speed as she somehow managed to turn over, albeit at a snail's pace, only for the sparrow to fly off literally a second later. Disappointed, the teen closed her eyes, mentally sobbing at how little she could accomplish since being kidnapped.

'How long have I been like this?!' she screamed in her head.

Had it been months? Days? Weeks? She had no idea at this point but, she knew one thing: She needed to get out of this place. It was all Tori could think about after being nabbed. She couldn't stomach the idea of spending another day in this insane asylum but first, she had to find a way to avoid being drugged again before anything else could be enacted. As if on cue, she heard the door to her room open and a pair of footsteps entering inside.

"It seems our little patient's awake," a chipper tone that drove the Latina mad filled her sound holes as she felt a pair of hands flip her onto her back. She didn't remain that way for long as she was assisted by none other than Beck Oliver into a sitting position where she saw the owner of the infuriating voice: Ahrya. "You must be hungry." her stomach replied for Tori, growling viciously. "All you have to do is take your happy pills and you can get some yummy food." the girl taunted. "No medicine, no food..."

"Le- Le-..." her lips parted for the first time since being placed in her confining room.

"Lee? Oh! You're trying to say my brother's name, aren't you?"

Curious, amethyst orbs penetrated the cold glare of earth for what felt like an eternity. The visual war held strong until Beck tapped the vicious 'sister' of Liam.

"What will you have me do?" his words were cut and dry, a sign to Tori that he was an unwilling participant in this twisted game. "Should I force feed her?"

"That won't be necessary Becky-poo..." she shook her head yet, her gaze never faltered until she neared the door. "We'll just give her some time for her to contemplate her decision. I'm sure she'll come around before the night is through." Her smirk grew more and more wicked as the captive Tori somehow managed to widen her eyes as she began piecing things together. "Goodnight, Tori..."

The door slammed shut, causing her muscles to flinch slightly as a result. Several minutes passed by when the realization finally hit her. First, she tried blinking, a simple task with an equally easy result. afterward, she focused on individual limbs including her fingers only to find that they too would begin to respond after a bit of effort and concentration.

Within half an hour, Tori would find the use of her arms and neck were becoming more fluent in each attempt at movement.

'I'm going to get out of here,' she swore in her heart, a single drop of fierce determination falling from the corner of the girl's half-lidded eyes. 'No matter what...'

Just outside of her room, the hallways of the facility echoed from an irate Ahrya and silent Beck's footsteps. "I'll have that bitch's head on a plate!" she snapped, not caring who might hear her at the moment.

"Do you think it wise to get so worked up by a mere mortal woman?" she turned to meet the calm stare of her controlled 'lover', sensing something a bit off with the boy.

"You're not with me to think," she spun around, facing her classmate and secret lover. Taking his shirt collar firmly in her clutches, Ahrya pulled him down to her level until her mouth claimed his own hungrily, nipping at his rich lips every so often as if he was her last meal. The two held their position in the middle of the empty corridor until the need for oxygen became far too great for either to go without any longer. There was no love behind the gesture, only pure lust personified as the flustered teen grazed her thumb over her plush lips. "You're with me for my utmost pleasure. Understand?"

"It is as you wish," he then crossed his arms and, for the first time since arriving at the depressing venue, the corners of his own mouth contorted into a wicked grin. The fires of hell itself flickered behind his soul's gates before the familiar shade of grey returned. "At least until your mother's plans no longer serve my interests."

Ahrya was unsure what to make of the sporadic moment but opted not to push the issue further. Instead, she spun on her heels once more and pressed on to her next destination without delay, leaving him to watch her shapely figure disappear behind the next corner.

"Tonight, we end this, Bosou..." Ibo Lele's own voice emerged, hissing softly through pressed lips.

* * *

The evening sky began to fade out of existence over the city of Los Angeles, engulfing the city in a blanket of blue-green hue. Given it was the weekend, the streets were abuzz with citizens and tourists alike looking to take in everything the seedy nightlife has to offer. Celeste sat in the passenger's seat in complete silence, watching the mood of the area and, to a lesser extent, hearing the blaring horns bombarding her ears from all sides; it was clear that she wasn't a huge fan of the big city life. Whether it was the two-bit hustlers or the surplus of escorts soliciting potential clients, she began to wonder how her son was ever able to survive this part of town. In spite of this, there was one thing that troubled the elder woman even more than the annoying sounds. Her attention then settled on her youngest next to her driving the car with expert precision.

So many questions filled her head as the tense silence continued to the smother the vehicle's occupants despite the cool breeze flowing inside After showing up practically at his doorstep, they all shared the information they'd gathered about the current dilemma. On Liam and Lola's side, they revealed that Cecilia seemed to be the mastermind behind Jade and Tori's kidnapping as well as using the latter as bait to get Beck. The mere mention of his name made Lucille's throat dry as she had taken a fondness to the young man with the fluffy hair. She and Celeste then explained how Beck had been having minor altercations with Ahrya a few weeks prior to the incident which only made the air around them seem less bearable than it already was.

What was he thinking right now?

Needless to say, he was not happy with the results of said discussion as he was now taking three women that he found himself worrying about not one, but three women who held heavy significance to him. In his mind, he would've left them at his dorm and gone on to get back the two who held his heart without putting the trio in any danger. Unfortunately, that attempt ended with him getting three good smacks to the back of the head from each of them before he reluctantly agreed to bring them. It was a good thing too, as Celeste was able to sense specific spiritual energy in order to track down the exact location where the others were being held.

Sensing something looming, Celeste cut her eyes in Liam's direction only to find him staring straight ahead with an emotionless expression on his face. With duel lenses scanning him thoroughly, she found no tell-tale sign of what he was feeling, let alone thinking. While this made her uneasiness grow exponentially, it was more from a motherly perspective than a spiritual one. In her view, this was her youngest child, a child she'd just recently reunited with mind you, about to risk his life for those he truly cares about without so much as a second thought.

She didn't know whether to feel proud or afraid.

"Is this the place?" Lucille's thick Cajun accent broke the previously intense silence held within the car ride. Her eyes settled on the creepy property that housed a large mental facility. Throughout the trip, she did her best to keep herself calm despite the magnitude of whatever they were about to encounter. Everyone else took notice that they were no longer in the main part of the city, each equally taken aback by the gloomy environment. The facility was built like a miniature estate that was formerly used as a cushy rehabilitation center for D-list celebrities who wanted to feel more important than they really were. If one were to make a comparison, the entire property somehow reminded the lone male of a similar place in one of his comic books which didn't make him feel any better as he slowed the car just a few feet from the main gate.

"We're going on foot from this point on..." his tone left little room for debate as he stepped, shutting the door rather roughly behind him.

The main gate was rather rusty and outfitted with two gargoyles on either side of the entrance, giving it a ghostly feel. It did nothing to dissuade Liam as he pressed on past it, not paying attention to whether or not the others were close behind him. The only thing that mattered to him right now was getting revenge, point blank. The amount of hatred radiating from him only intensified with each step down the dirt path. He went down every possible outcome and the only one that gave him any form of comfort was ripping off the heads of those he once considered to be his family.

 _Destroy them all..._

His eyes sparked with bloodlust.

 _Leave no soul unpunished..._

His lips drew back, revealing sharp canines along the corners of her mouth.

END THEIR MISERABLE EXISTENCE!

"ALEXANDRE!" he turned around, coming face to face with his mother who had her hands clenched into tight fists.

 **"What?!"** he didn't bother trying to hide the irritation in his voice only... said voice wasn't his own.

"I know you're concerned about Jade and Tori, but, you mustn't lose yourself in the process," on her face was desperation personified. "That's what my sister wants you to do!"

"Mom, I'm fine..." Blinking, the boy opened his mouth to continue only to be cut off by the older woman's piercing gaze. There was no mystical aura or influence to force the normally assertive Liam to avert his eyes to the earth below, only a mother's love and concern for her child was needed at this moment. "I mean... I..."

Liam just stood there like a wounded animal, helpless under the watchful eye of the old lady. He didn't know how to feel at this point; his mind flashed with several images of those whom he held dear to his heart.

First were the very two he'd grown to know after his vacation earlier in the year, Celeste & Lucille. He felt so much love and adoration for the family he once thought forever lost, yet, he could potentially lose them again if they came with him. While a part of him enjoyed having them supporting him, he didn't want to risk their lives in the process trying to save everyone.

Then there was Lola; theirs was a bond newly formed and yet built from centuries ago as well. With Bosou's spirit inside of him, he couldn't deny the connection from the Loa, Marinette-Bwa-Chech, drawing the two together. Considering his uncertain status with his ladies, he wasn't trying to add to the romantic complexity. Against Bosou's wishes, he chose to focus on building a simple friendship and, after comforting her after her messy break up with that Vince guy, even he had to admit that there was a seed planted.

Then came Tori's image appearing in his inner reflections, triggering a pang of guilt in his heart for 'his' querida. He still didn't know what he'd done that was so wrong for her to storm off that evening but, in any regard, he was going to make things right between them, should he even be given the chance... Haunting whispers filled his ears, mostly pertaining to him failing the older Vega sister but, Bosou's influence was swift in combatting such petty thoughts of weakness.

Lastly, there was Jade...

The woman he affectionately dubbed his monster stood before him amidst the darkness, a small smirk resting on her lips. Normally the unpredictable one, he wasn't surprised that she left with Tori. What did put him in a bind with their relationship status was the look she flashed him just before disappearing. That damn gaze from over her shoulders that revealed, not anger or fury, but disappointment in him. Very seldom did she ever give that look; even more rarely, was it ever directed towards him. He never truly understood the girl outside of what she was willing to reveal to him but, he loved her all the same and, like with Tori, he was prepared to do whatever was necessary to protect her as well.

"I truly understand, Liam," he felt a warm hand placed on his shoulder prompting him to peer into the eyes of the older woman's eyes, those portals of love acting as a river of tranquility for his chaotic soul. "I know you'd do anything you could to rescue those two. That being said, you mustn't throw everything away in pursuit of your mission. You're much more intelligent than that."

"But, mom-!"

She held up a finger, flexing her parental authority still. "We're going to save them, my dear child. I promise you that on your father's grave."

Liam just stood there for a moment, staring at her before turning to see Lucille and Lola nodding in agreement.

"You're right..." he chuckled in resignation, a much better sign for the aging mother. "I can't just dive head first and expect things to go off without a hitch."

"So, what's the plan?" Lola interjected, not wanting to feel like the odd man out in this emotional moment.

Turning around, the four stared at the two-floor asylum, each with their own personal brand of determination fueling their motivation.

"We're going to go inside and split up," he chewed the inside of his jaw lightly, choosing his next words very carefully. "I want you three to go find Tori and Jade while I go handle Ahrya and dear old auntie..."

The venom behind his words made the trio want to cringe. Neither of them thought this plan was smart, but, no one made any objections as he pulled open the door double doors, passing the threshold into the depths of the hell that awaited them.

* * *

"Mother!" Ahrya's panicked voice echoed throughout the lower level of the facility as she rushed into one of the nearby room. The space in question was almost pitch black save for the multiple television screens illuminating a lone figure from within. "There you are! We have a problem!"

"Indeed we do, daughter," Cecilia's tone was cold and calm, like the element she wielded; a total contrast to her offspring's erratic emotions. "It seems your 'brother' has brought with him a few uninvited guests." she watched as her nephew along with the others passed several security cameras on their way around the mental rehab estate.

Full lips curled into a deep scowl. "Please let that go, mother... I know that Liam's not my real brother."

"Sorry dear. It's just a little amusing to know that you never knew after all of these years," the cryo-shaman let out a soft giggle at her child's embarrassment. "It is a bit amusing."

"Forgive me if I don't share the sentiment," Ahrya rolled her amethyst eyes. "But, there's something else that requires our attention."

"Oh?" the woman finally turned in her chair meeting gazes with the teen. "And what would that be?"

"I think the seal on Beck is beginning to break...!" she began waving her arms wildly, resuming her fearful state from earlier. "His eyes began glowing like fire and his voice was not his own."

Hearing this, Cecilia agreed that this was troubling in and of itself. This forced her to lean back in her seat as she tapped her chin in deep concentration. With everything going on all at once, she knew she was about to have a conundrum on her hands if she didn't come up with an idea quickly.

"Liam is with my sister, your cousin, and some girl that looks like Tori Vega while Ibo Lele seems to be breaking the seal I placed after bringing him here. It seems that fate is on our side," her lips curling up, Cecilia didn't miss the look of pure terror and disbelief adorning her child's face. Anticipating her line of questioning, the woman continued. "If we play our cards right, we can use both of these factors to our advantage."

Ahrya was unsure of what the former voodoo queen meant, but she had to admit, she was starting to like where the conversation was going as her eyes widened in a crazed and sickening glee.

"You truly are evil..."

"Guilty as charged."

* * *

With the plan underway, Liam decided he'd check out the east wing while insisting the others check out the western end. His footsteps were the only accompanying him as he trekked through the various corridors in search of either girl. He wasn't sure why, but a part of him hoped that he wouldn't run into Beck, even in spite of his desire to save the boy from the malevolent Loa controlling him. In fact, it was said spirit that was the sole reason for him not wanting to encounter his former rival right away.

 ** _If you'd stop being such a coward, we can take on that sorry excuse of a god._**

'Forget it... We're not going to fight a pyro-maniacal loa just because of your insane bloodlust.

 _ **He nearly turned us to ash! You can't honestly tell me that you don't want revenge for that!**_

'It's not going to work Bosou. The mission is to find and save Tori & Jade nothing else come before that.'

 ** _Mangy cur! What if he's guarding them?_** This stopped Liam dead in his tracks, his stomach churning at the possibility of running into the fire-wielding Beck being more of a reality after Bosou's inquiry. **_What happens then, boy? Will you run or will you fight?_**

He spent the next thirty seconds just contemplating that horrendous scenario playing out. It was a worst-case scenario, but a viable one all the same. Liam clenched his fists, his muscles quivering while realizing that he had been cornered by the violent warrior resting inside of him. Try as he may, the green-eyed young man just couldn't find any other solution aside from the obvious. Resisting the urge to roar in frustration, he relented.

'IF that should happen,' he sighed heavily. 'then we'll fight that monster. But, only if we encounter him in that situation, understand?'

 ** _I can accept those terms..._** If he could actually see Bosou, he would've expected a grin of satisfaction from the sadistic entity.

'"I'm sure you could..." he replied dryly only to hear nothing more from the spirit.

He pressed on for a few more minutes, finding nothing other than a flight of stairs that would lead him to the basement level. Looking over his shoulder, he headed down, cautiously watching for any traps or attacks. To his surprise, he'd find none, only a single hall that was dimly lit with dim orange lights that made it look like something from a stereotypical horror movie. Liam wasn't one to be shaken so easily and ventured deeper inside unaware that he was being followed by someone.

With each room he passed, he spared a look inside through the glass window but, there was no sign of either Jade or Tori in any of them. This caused him to feel a bit dejected as well as anxious to the point of wanting to turn around and check the other wing with the others. He wasted little time in shaking those thoughts out of his mind. He wasn't going to give up until he was sure they weren't there.

"Just how far does this damn hall go?" he groaned as his shoulder slumped.

He regretted asking this as he was stopped by a dead end that split off into two separate directions. Glaring at the wall, he pondered which way to go when a familiar voice piped up.

 ** _Perhaps the left path is the way to go?_** his deep voice offered with sincerity.

"Then I'll take the other way," Liam announced, not wanting to give his spiritual resident what he wanted. "No way I'm letting you lure me into a fight..."

 _ **Smart ass...**_

The two would bicker on and off as fierce orbs continued to monitor him from a safe distance. The walk took several minutes but, Liam was finally rewarded for his troubles with a brightly lit room that looked like some form of a rec room for the residents to move around and exercise. It certainly was big enough to be used for that purpose. He squinted until his eyes became adjusted to the frequency of the fluorescent bulbs above, just in time to see something, or rather someone that was all too familiar to him. Upon further inspection, he realized his vision wasn't deceiving him at all.

"Robbie?"

He looked up at his former roommate through thick-rimmed glasses, a sinister smile dancing on his lips.

"Welcome, Liam..."

* * *

 **** Author's Note****

 **1\. Apology:**

 **I am so sorry for the extended delay in posting recently. I was planning on finishing this fic a while back but, after a lengthy battle with depression and anxiety trying to double team me, I literally had to take some time off in order to gather my thoughts and desire to write back on track. I did manage to storyboard and form a coherent direction for how the remaining chapters will be going. I'm expecting to finish things in either the next three to five chapter (not including the alternate endings). But I really wanted to formally apologize for not posting as often as you might've hoped I would. I'll be putting any other story on hold until I complete this one as it's nearly complete. I thank you so much for your patience.**

 **2\. The story thus far:**

 **Liam has now decided to confront Cecilia & Ahrya for their hand in kidnapping Jade and Tori. Unfortunately, he couldn't manage to enact his original plan exactly when Celeste, Lucille, and Lola inserted themselves into the equation against his wishes. Despite having a legitimate reason for wanting to go alone, he wound up agreeing to their demand on the condition that they remain together in order to minimize their chances of being hurt whilst freeing himself up to go all out, if necessary, on anyone that sought to stop him. During his search, he finds himself combating Bosou's thirst for vengeance against Ibo Lele, who is currently residing inside of Beck Oliver accepting the inevitable battle only if he finds the girls first. Now, he finds himself face to face with Robbie Shapiro who appears to have been waiting for him.**

 **What are the former nerd's intentions now that the two have come face to face once more?**

 **3\. Disclaimers:**

 **With all of that said, the upcoming chapters will feature much more action and possible gore along with some other dark themes. I'll be putting a disclaimer about the remaining chapters so that readers aren't shocked. I'll even post a direct disclaimer before each theme whenever necessary just in case you miss the first one.**

 **For now, I bid you all farewell for now! Hoped you all enjoyed this chapter, and feel free to leave feedback if you'd like.**


	43. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer : **

**This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously : **

With each room he passed, he spared a look inside through the glass window but, there was no sign of either Jade or Tori in any of them. This caused him to feel a bit dejected as well as anxious to the point of wanting to turn around and check the other wing with the others. He wasted little time in shaking those thoughts out of his mind. He wasn't going to give up until he was sure they weren't there.

"Just how far does this damn hall go?" he groaned as his shoulder slumped.

He regretted asking this as he was stopped by a dead end that split off into two separate directions. Glaring at the wall, he pondered which way to go when a familiar voice piped up.

 ** _Perhaps the left path is the way to go?_** his deep voice offered with sincerity.

"Then I'll take the other way," Liam announced, not wanting to give his spiritual resident what he wanted. "No way I'm letting you lure me into a fight..."

 _ **Smart ass...**_

The two would bicker on and off as fierce orbs continued to monitor him from a safe distance. The walk took several minutes but, Liam was finally rewarded for his troubles with a brightly lit room that looked like some form of a rec room for the residents to move around and exercise. It certainly was big enough to be used for that purpose. He squinted until his eyes became adjusted to the frequency of the fluorescent bulbs above, just in time to see something, or rather someone that was all too familiar to him. Upon further inspection, he realized his vision wasn't deceiving him at all.

"Robbie?"

The former nerd looked up at his former roommate through thick-rimmed glasses, a sinister smile dancing on his lips.

"Welcome, Liam..."

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 38: What Lies Between Us**

* * *

Two pairs of eyes, one green and the other brown as the earth itself, remained secured on one another; Mistrust vs Steadiness. Of all the people he presumed he'd run into, Liam had to confess to himself that Robbie Shapiro wasn't remotely close on that list. Now, here he stood in the extensively large white room several dozen feet from the retired ventriloquist who was relaxing with lanky legs crossed, giving off the impression that he'd been meditating or just contemplating something significant up until his arrival. Now, two former friends watched each other, the tense stillness surrounding them proving to be the perfect component to spark an all-out war of attrition.

"Robbie..." a muscle in his jaw clenched.

"Good to see you too, buddy!" his voice dripped with the perfect combination of brashness and bitterness. "I assume you're here for Jade?"

A vein protruded behind Liam's temple from hearing that name, but he managed to regain his cool before his emotions could claim full control of his actions. It didn't take a genius to feel the contempt spilling through the boy's pores at the mere remark of the goth. He shut his eyes, not wanting to reveal what was behind his portals, his lips parting just enough for him to release the breath he'd been holding in all this time.

"If you know why I'm here," his words were crisp as the frigid arctic. "Then you know what I'm willing to do to get her back..."

"Oh, I'm aware! You made that clear the night I hit you after you made Ahrya cry," Robbie let out a humorless laugh, clutching the tightened muscles in his stomach. "The night I made 'big & bad' Liam bleed!"

Liam was no fool; everyone who was there knew the truth behind that moment. To think that the typically mild-mannered geek would actually have the guts to attack him, albeit, from behind. It would've been impressive had it not been revealed that he only connected with the blows because Liam let him, which should've been the end of that subject and yet, here he was bragging like he'd actually done something on his own.

"How could I forget?" he narrowed his eyes, cautiously analyzing his apparent foe. "Guess it's safe to say that you're not letting me go past freely?"

Another chorus of cackles echoed within the room, further cementing what Liam had figured out several years back. Robbie's sanity was deteriorating to the point that he came off as incapable of having his own identity. He felt something was off with the guy upon his arrival to Hollywood Arts after spotting him with that creepy puppet named Rex but, it wasn't until he'd learned that his pseudo-sister had convinced him to ditch the damn doll that he began to notice the shift from subtle changes occuring. What started off as self-growth began to morph into him becoming reliant on Ahrya's approval, which opened the door for him to notice the shift in her attitude later on.

With the way things were going now, there was no doubt that whatever was holding Robbie together all of this time had finally hit its breaking point. There was no Ahrya to keep him under control and certainly no puppet for him to release this toxic side of him through.

"We both know the answer to that..." Earth twitched behind lowered lids in crazed irritation. "Why bother asking?"

"Because I just needed to know exactly whose ass I'm going to kick, Robbie's or Rex's."

"That's probably the funniest thing I think you've said since coming here. Here's my rebuttal," as expected the young man raised an eyebrow. "I'll let you in a little secret. Jade's whereabouts are just down the hall behind me in the solitary confinement cell for the serious nutcases. She's been in there ever since we brought her here."

"What?" a single word, one devoid of any emotional content.

Thin lips stretched into a sadistic grin at the audacious claim. "That monster is locked up in its cage where she belongs."

Liam's eyes widened in horror at the arrogance, his mind screaming with a surge of rage beginning to course throughout his veins. Fists clenched so tightly, you could see his knuckles turning several shades lighter. Limbs shivered as each second ticked on, thoughts of what he wanted to do to the cocky string bean in front of him. It was obvious that he was being baited but, his heart didn't care at that moment as his lips pulled back into a full out snarl rivaling any carnivorous beast you'd expect to find in the wild.

This didn't phase Robbie as he adjusted his glasses, his demented smile never dropping. "I even put the cutest muzzle on the bitch, if you wanted to know."

Gone was any degree of self-control as Liam charged at him with malicious intent. "Shut your damn mouth!"

Tears glistened as he pulled his fist back, preparing to inflict as much pain as he could muster onto his unapologetic adversary. As the distance grew smaller between the two, Robbie didn't bother to move out of the way, instead choosing to hold out his hand to capture the enclosed hand in his palm without much difficulty. Being in a blind rage, Liam pulled away from the surprisingly strong grip and opted for a more aggressive approach.

Growling, the dark-skinned boy jumped in the air extending his leg out for a kick only to have that block with ease as well.

 _What are you doing?!_ Bosou's booming voice cut in but Liam ignored it.

He landed on the ground only to spin for a sweep, missing Robbie who had simply taken a step back to avoid the hard-hitting attack.

He charged with a roar like a bull. Robbie sidestepped, twirling around like a graceful dancer to lunge at his wild yet, predictable opponent. Liam narrowly dodged one flying fist, only to collide with an open palm that connected with his right shoulder.

Staggering back, he immediately felt something was wrong as he attempted to go on the defensive. As he lifted his right limb to cover up, he'd realize that something didn't feel right, like he was losing the feeling in it. Confused, he didn't have long to ponder the state of the injured body part before leaping back from a swipe from Shapiro. The effects of the blow quickly drained the adrenaline from his 6'1" frame.

Block. Back off. Keep his distance.

Those were his only choices for the time being while his head tried to come up with a plan. Avoidance was simple, but it couldn't last forever. Soon, he'd either have to go on the offensive or he'd become too fatigued from all the running and dodging. Minutes passed with no contact, and Liam felt pressure emanating from all sides, a nearly audible chant ringing in his head: punch-kick-strike-hurt-something. He had to do something, if not for his sake, for Jade's.

 **"COME ON! IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?!"** Robbie thundered, eyes swelling with a new level of bloodlust.

'That voice!' he managed to lean forward, missing a left hook cleanly that gave him an opportunity to rebound and counter. However, when he came back up, Liam would feel a crunching thud across his cheek that sent him sliding several feet across the crowd into the far left wall of the rec room. The thud his body made from connecting with the wall drove all of the air from his lungs along with a little bit of blood.

'W-What the h-hell was that?' he coughed up more of the copper-tasting liquid, trying his hardest to pull himself to his feet. 'Bosou... this would be a good time for you to show up..."

But, there was no response from the previously boisterous Loa.

Little good it did him as he felt something clutch his collar before feeling his body sail across to the other side of the room, all the while, faintly noticing Robbie Shapiro hadn't moved from his current spot. His form smashed into the other wall, this time leaving behind a lifesized cavity behind as he fell onto the floor, staining the white tile with splattered specks of crimson.

 **"I'm disappointed in you, Liam..."** the wickedness in Robbie's voice matching his gaze. Bored and frustrated, he settled on finally approaching his defenseless opponent. **"I thought you were stronger than this."**

The boy's breathing was unsteady, one of the minor testaments of his damages he sustained up to this point. As he struggled once more to regain his footing, Robbie was given a better view of the destruction inflicted.

Black and blue markings adorned this face from the blows that caught him flush and his left eye had begun swelling shut. Add to that the unknown extent of internal injuries and, one could assume the fight was over before it even got started. Seeing the pathetic display of Liam trying to get back up, only to repeatedly drop in a crumpled heap, Robbie, or whatever was possessing him, figured that finishing him off was beneath him.

"You're not even worth it..." the contemptuous glare bore into the fallen male's soul like a sharpened knife to the neck. "I guess I can let you die on your own, like the wounded dog you are."

"Y-you'd like that w-wouldn't you?" Liam grinned, spitting out another glop of plasma while settling into a seated position against the very object of his pain. In truth, his body was racked with dull pain but he chose to ignore it as best he could and smile widely at the dominant young man before him. "You'd like to believe that I'll die from this... isn't that right, Uncle Jericho?"

Brown orbs then glowed a dangerous violet followed by that sadist-like smirk. **"So, you figured it out, brat... Good for you."**

"Of course," he exhaled sharply, careful not to aggravate his aching ribs.

 **"And yet, you still seek to provoke me, boy?"** he yelled with enough force to cause an earthquake. **"I've severed your nerves in your right arm. I've beaten you into the wall with enough force to demolish this damned building, and I'm sure I broke a rib or two and yet, with all of that, you still CHALLENGE ME?!"**

"It's what I do, old man," he winked playfully despite the sharp pounding in his skull. "Tis the game we play."

A swirl of purple aura encompassed the curly haired boy who let out a low growl. He then channeled that energy into his right hand, slowly allowing it to take shape while Liam could only watch helplessly. The spiritual force began to extend and expand, finally taking on the form of a massive sword.

 **"Then it seems that it is time for this 'game' to end..."** he raised the mystical weapon high above his head, bathing the neutral ground. **"I win, brat."**

Even if he wanted to move out of the way, his body wouldn't comply due to the immense pain hastening through him. This wasn't like back in New Orleans, or even in Yerba; there was nothing that would stand between him and certain death now... The only ones capable of doing so were on the other side of this cursed place. Remembering that was his idea, Liam felt, for the first time, regret for not accepting any help from anyone else.

Why did he have to be so stubborn and foolish?

'I guess I can think about that in the afterlife...' he surmised, ready to take the final blow. 'I'm sorry, everyone. I failed you..'

"Are you always so dramatic?" a voice called out to him, sparking his attention.

Opening his eyes, Liam noticed that something, or rather someone, standing in front of him, most noticeably their butt. By the looks of things, it was a woman all too recognizable to him. Just out of his view lied the body of Robbie Shapiro, completely out cold, now sporting a rather large lump of flesh on the top of his head from a vicious attack, no doubt at the hands of the slightly older woman.

"GAAHH!" he screamed out while shielding his eyes, completely forgetting his earlier injuries. "Lucille! What the hell?!"

"Hey baby bro," she spared him a glance over her shoulder, hiding the heroic grin etched on her lips.

* * *

Celeste and Lola crept around their respective wing, each taking special care to look out for any signs of danger that might surface. Unfortunately for them, in addition to losing her daughter, Celeste had little luck in finding either Jade or Tori but, there was something she could do in the meantime. Turning her attention to the girl that resembled the latter, the former bokor smiled warmly in hopes of calming the nervous teen.

"Tell me, child," she let out a light cough, failing to hide the obvious intent to spark a conversation. "Do you know anything about spirits?"

This was clearly an odd question to initiate dialogue but, Lola refused to bring that up, especially given the cryptic silence amidst the eerily lit halls.

"Not much actually. All I know is that my great-grandmother used to perform prayers while burning incense whenever I came over to visit. Outside of that, I only know of God and the devil from when I attended church..."

"Before you were dragged into this mess, what were you planning on doing with your life?"

"To be honest, I want to be an actress and travel the world!" she replied giddily, her face lighting up with joy.

To Celeste, she admired the girl's innocence involving the spirit realm and, to a much lesser extent envied her for it as well. For her, every day of her life was spent learning about conjuring and expelling spirits. It was both a blessing and a curse in her opinion but, this young woman had the freedom to live her life and forge her own path, whatever it may be. Now though, there was one thing that could stop all of that dead in its tracks: Marinette's spirit. According to some legends, she was bound to Ibo Lele and later, Bosou through a lustful encounter that broke things off with her former lover. With her currently housed inside of Lola, that meant she would be fated to remain near Liam and risk giving up her dream unless it coincided with his own.

But, there was another detail that went relatively unspoken until this point: The girl's feelings.

"Would you mind if I asked you another question?" she peered into another room, finding no one inside.

Unsure of what to expect, Lola took a gamble. "Go right ahead..."

"Are you attracted to my son?" she asked bluntly.

"W-what?" she squealed before clasping a hand over her mouth. "I-I mean I w-wouldn't s-say um... I mean, he's very attractive and..."

A flush crept up her face as she desperately attempted to piece together a proper response to the abrupt question. To her surprise, Celeste patted her shoulder giggling gently.

"It's okay, dear," her voice was sweet and soothing. "I apologize for putting you on the spot like that. It's just my motherly duty kicking in and sometimes I need to reel it in. You don't have to answer that question if you're not comfortable with doing so."

For Lola, this was a relief but, it did open a door that even she had to admit had to be ventured into at some point. She'd only known the boy for all of probably 48 hours but, she couldn't deny that he was cute to her especially when they locked eyes for the first time during his rescue of her at the beach house. After that, she seemed to develop a little crush on him that only grew as the hours passed by. When he had collapsed from his wounds, she had the opportunity to see his nicely formed body and that only made it more difficult for her to get him out of her mind. To be honest, the only thing keeping her from downright jumping him in bed was the fact that they both were in relationships.

Now with Vince out of the picture, there wasn't anything for her to hide behind in terms of her unadulterated thoughts on the young man.

"Lola?" she shook her head slowly before turning to a curious Celeste. "Did you hear me?"

"I'm sorry..." her cheeks burned like Christmas lights as she rubbed her neck sheepishly. "I guess I spaced out. What did you say?"

"I think I found something," motioned for her to follow her around the corner to a single room that was marked as 'Special Unit'.

Both tip-toed quietly, careful to not alert anyone that might be guarding the inside of the room before peeking into the room. While it was dark inside, Celeste could feel another's presence radiating from within though, of whom, she wasn't entirely sure. Slowly, she turned the knob only for the two to find that it was locked up tight.

"Great. Now, we have to get a key..." Lola hissed faintly, biting her lip nervously.

"No we don't," Celeste smirked softly. "Just watch out for me around the corner until I get it opened, alright?"

She wanted to ask what the woman had up her sleeve, but, given the seriousness on her face, Lola simply nodded and crept back to the corner. She would spare a glance every so often so she wouldn't give their position away. In the meantime, Celeste took a deep breath and focused her mind on the task at hand. In about a few moments, her hand began to glow a faded shade of red, heating up the metallic handle as slowly as possible. The scent of liquidized metal filled her nose but she did her best to ignore it.

Though there were no guards, Celeste had her reasons for Lola keeping watch that had nothing to do with running security. In truth, she wasn't sure what to make of the girl. When her youngest child left to return to school, she had a vision that something would try to come between him and the two that held his heart. At first, she thought it might've been her own daughter and figured that learning of his identity had solved everything. Now, she was getting not one, but two different entities desiring him on a romantic level: Marinette & Lola. She knew of the unspoken attraction but there was something else that she couldn't decipher about the girl that'd been troubling the mother ever since meeting her.

What would she do after meeting Tori?

While Lola was a gentle soul, Marinette was notorious in lore as a petro; personally known as violent and possessive of what she desires.

Those questions would have to be answered later as she finally managed to destroy the only thing standing between them and whoever was being held captive inside. For all she knew, it could be Jade residing in the room instead. Oh, how she wished it was that simple. With the puddle of molten metal, she signaled for the PCA student to follow her inside. Opening the door, both quickly found there to be no light switch, forcing them to adjust to the shroud of shadows all around them. Celeste would dive further inside while Lola volunteered to watch the door for anyone who might come by.

"Hello?" she whispered, taking care to remain on guard in case it was a trap. "Tori? Jade?"

"Ma... mada..." a slurred voice called from the darkness. "N-no.. mo.."

Squinting, it soon became clear that it wasn't Jade but, in fact, Tori Vega sitting up in the patient's bed. Rushing over the woman went to work to comfort and rescue the poor girl who sounded like she'd been drugged repeatedly. "Tori, dear... It's me, Liam's mother."

"Cele...ste..?" she managed to push the words out, uncertainty lacing her every syllable. "That... you?"

"Yes! It's me, Celeste," she nodded while freeing her from the leather restraints that kept her bound to the bed. One by one, she unbuckled the huge straps that secured Tori to the bed until she was no longer bound only to be caught off guard by the girl who leaped into her arms, capturing her in an emotional hug. A torrent of relief and gratitude poured from the outer corner of her eyes, sobbing quietly into the woman's shoulders. On cue, Celeste returned the gesture without hesitation, stroking Tori's hair gently until she began to calm down. "It's okay, sweetheart. We're here now."

This made Tori pull away slowly, wiping away the tears. "We?"

"Yes, Liam, Lucille, myself and Lola here..." she turned to introduce the girl only to find an empty space where the girl once was and an open door.

"Lola?" Fear slithered from deep within the Latina.

"What's wrong, child?"

"Liam might be in danger." the terror in her eyes flashing furiously. "There's something you all need to know."

Both stood up, allowing the light from the hallway revealing that she was outfitted in a smock designed that was standard for those committed. Seeing this, Celeste shook her head in disbelief at what she was looking at. "Tori?" her voice shrunk down to a hallowed whisper. "How long have you been here?"

Staring at her bare feet, the brunette tucked some of her locks behind her ear. "Two months, two days, 16 hours... or to put it plainly, ever since we arrived back home from New Orleans..."

"H-how? How did nobody notice?" she grabbed the girl's shoulders, battling between worry and anger. "How could my own son not notice?" She was on the verge of a break down trying to figure this all out when the answer hit her right in the face; the girl with absolutely no legitimate reason to tag along. The one who had everything to gain and everything to lose based on whether or not they came along with Liam. The one who Liam just happened to meet by 'chance' when invited to rescue 'Tori' by none other than her sister... "Lola."

In a bit of role-reversal, it was now Tori who was the calm one. Her face, though a bit disappointed, also held a great measure of understanding that overshadowed it. "Ahrya is behind it all..."

* * *

From a pointless argument to finally getting around to healing her brother, Lucille and Liam wasted little time in taking control of the situation. The first thing they did was seal the shade, Jericho, inside of Robbie; there was no need to allow that creature any chance of escaping and causing more chaos later on. They then bound the nerdy boy as best as they could before taking his keycard and venturing onward. They managed to keep a steady pace, turning down every corner that appeared until they arrived at a single corridor. As they started down the lone path, Liam felt a hand rest tap him on the back.

"Sorry, I couldn't fix that burn wound little brother," Lucille lamented.

"Don't worry about it," he shrugged, a crooked grin resting on his scarred lip. "You did the best you could. Plus, I got this days ago so it's whatever..."

"But, I should be able to heal and fix any wounds no matter what. I'm your sister and I-I...!"She was stopped when he turned around, facing her with a look of that told her to stop talking.

"Yes, you're my sister..." he started. "We're family and families protect each other the very best way they can. Anything more is considered a bonus. You've done more for me than even I could imagine."

"But..."

"But nothing. You coming all this way from home just to help me out means the world to me. I've never imagined having an older sister who can show much support and love but you've shown me that it's possible. Now, you've healed my ribs and my pain is minimal at best outside of a minor burn that was treated a little while ago." His pointer jabbed her heart just above her breasts. "Stop beating yourself up about the past that was lost and focus on the present, alright? I'd like to create new memories with my family after this, you know?"

Lucille just watched her brother flash a brilliant smile before giving her a quick hug. "Thank you baby brother."

"Of course, we'll get Beck back too!" he replied offhandedly, not sticking around to see the rose hue appear on the woman's face. He didn't need to; he knew it was there anyway and that was good enough to count as an embarrassing sibling moment.

 _Are you ready?_

'Oh goodie. You're back, Bosou.' the boy rolled his eyes but, a part of him was actually glad that the two were able to communicate.

 _Yeah. That damn shade blocked me from communicating with your weak ass but, your sister was able to reconnect the spiritual link when she healed you._

'Yeah, well I'm about to rescue one of my girlfriends so if you don't mind...'

 _Mhmm... but be ready, it's not going to be getting out. I'm sensing several high spiritual energies._

'Including Ibo Lele?'

 _Oddly, no... I can't detect his presence anymore._

Liam didn't like the sound of that one bit. 'In that case, we'll make this as quick as possible then we'll meet up with my mom. She might be able to detect him.'

 _Of course. Ask the host of Bakulu for help... that'll be fun._

Instead of feeding into the Loa's mini tantrum, Liam continued on until he stood in front of the large metallic door. Up close it proved to be a bit more intimidating than before but there was something that made this door even more imposing was what, or who was behind it. Given this was the only door, there was no doubt that she'd be behind it.

His heart rate began to spike as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the white and blue security card. As he brought it closer to the scanner, he felt himself trembling and hesitant to open it. He was about to rescue her from this accursed den of hell but, would she even want to see him? After leaving him a few nights ago, he wasn't sure where they stood.

"Liam, just open it."

He looked over his shoulder, spotting the warm and encouraging grin resting on his sister's face. It was a look that spelled it out for him.

Go save her. She'll forgive you. She loves you.

He took a deep inhale, closed his eyes, and then, swiped the card through the reader. The sounds of several low beeps filled the corridor before one final beep and hissing combination informed the brother/sister duo that the door was unlocked. He wasted little time in opening the door, hoping to overpower the anxiety trying to claim control of his actions. Once more, bright lights made him squint until he grew accustomed to the level of brightness. He stepped inside the padded room, stopping only when he spotted her.

But, what he saw made his heart shatter into a thousand pieces.

Sitting in the middle of the room was Jade West, trapped inside a straightjacket and, true to Robbie Shapiro's claim, she was outfitted with a lunatic's muzzle. Her hair was disheveled and her makeup was reduced to faded splotches under her eyes and cheeks. Her head was bowed slightly as if showing submissiveness to whoever entered this mind-numbing domain. Lucille chose to guard the door in case someone else came down their only means of escape.

"Jade!" he cried out rushing to hug the restrained girl, not noticing her cringe at his touch.

She said nothing; at least nothing coherent as her only response was nothing more than random muttering.

"Jade?"

"Liam, nghgngh..." she shivered.

"What? Jade, it's me. It's Liam," he held looked at her in hopes of getting through to her. "Don't you recognize me?"

"Liam's dead and gone," she whispered.

Shocked, the boy quickly got to work undoing the wretched mouth guard then the jacket that forced the unstable goth to hold herself. Strap after strap, Liam wouldn't stop until the jacket was removed completely. He took it from her body and tossed it as far away as he could from her. He soon returned in front of her and found some indication of what the problem could be.

She refused to look at him.

Every time he put himself in plain view of her, Jade would turn the other way or clench shut her eyes as if not wanting to accept the truth that sat not even a foot away from her.

"Jade, please..." he pleaded with her. "Please, look at me."

"You're not real," she affirmed. "You can't be real. Liam died therefore, you can't be real."

"Died?" he blinked several times, unable to believe what he was hearing. "I'm not dead! I'm right here! You can see me!"

"Imagination," she averted her gaze, dull orbs firmly planted on the plush white material that surrounded her cell. "Mind playing tricks on me."

Not wanting to believe this, Liam took Jade's hand, forcing her to finally look up at him. "You can feel me, Jade!"

This would prove to be a mistake on his part as Jade ripped away from him then, in a wild exchange, he managed to straddle the distraught boy with her hands firmly wrapped around his neck. This display of aggression nearly made Lucille insert herself into the exchange but one glare from her baby brother rooted her in place.

"Don't touch me!" she roared with a mighty force. "Only he can touch me and he's dead!"

Feeling his air supply dwindling, he simply used enough force to loosen her hold enough to speak. "If I'm dead, then how are you (gasp) choking me (cough) right now?"

While she didn't want to listen, this supposed illusion made a valid point. Sure she could argue that her imagination was getting the best of her to the point of physical manifestations but, never had she'd been able to touch said manifestations without them fading away. Yet, here she was, fingers pressing against jugular veins while her body was clearly resting on top on another body. What made things even weirder was the obvious question: How could a psychological construct remove her straightjacket?

Jade sat there, her grip not getting any tighter yet, still stayed firm as she contemplated one final thing. In her mind, no matter how real the illusion, she could close her eyes only to find herself back in her previous position. This time shouldn't be any different, right? She'll just close her eyes and end this mental torture. Following up on her decision, the siblings watched as she gingerly closed her eyes and patiently waited for whatever was about to ensue after.

"3..." she whispered softly. "...2..." Her throat hitched as if fear had its own grip on her neck. "...1."

Opening her eyes very slowly, Jade scouted her environment, unsure of what to make of what she was witnessing. Directly in front of her rested an open door with Lucille(?) leaning against the frame. Seeing her, she then noticed that she was able to move her limbs freely. Never before had she been so thankful to see and feel her fingers wiggling around. She marveled at the sight, like a child receiving a brand new toy.

"I'm free..." her words, broken with joy and realization, the corner of her lips twitching into a light grin. "I'm really free!"

"Yeah, you are." She halted her bodily inspection to finally remember she was sitting on top of someone. Taking her time to revel in the voice, Jade crawled off of the boy, refusing to even look at him until he was finally able to sit up. Even then, she screwed her eyes shut, unable to handle the reality of who was here. "Jade?"

His words dripped from his lips like honey, sweet and soothing to her but, there was a stinging in her heart to go along with that feeling. She shook her head violently at first, embarrassed at everything.

"I'm sorry..." her tone was no louder than a whimper, something she deemed deservingly pathetic; just like her. Soon, those words became the only thing she seemed capable of saying. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."

What Jade didn't expect was a sudden warmth engulfing her smaller frame. Unlike the last time he didn't hasten her and as a result, she didn't tense up. Her eyes shot apart in confusion as he whispered something in her ear. It was something that she never thought needed to be said but, she was hearing it as clear as day itself.

"I'm sorry, my monster..."

Separating, she finally gathered the courage to look at him, his portals revealing nothing but the truth that she so anxiously craved ever since she was forced to endure this hellacious ordeal.

Emerald. Sapphire. Unity.

"L-Liam?" her bottom lip quivered, her heart and head pounding in sync as she awaited his answer.

Not wanting to prolong her suffering, he nodded and smiled with tears staining his cheeks in the process. "It's me, Jade."

Nothing was said; nothing needed to be as she threw herself at the boy she envisioned a thousand times in the last two days. She clutched his damaged shirt, not wanting to let go of him for fear that she would lose him to her 'reality' again. She wept softly, not caring if anyone else saw her. like this; to her, it didn't matter if they did anyway.

"I'm sorry I left the way I did..." she looked up, wanting to stare into those green gems she adored so much. "I shouldn't have been so stupid..."

"Shhhh..." he held her close. "There'll be plenty of time to patch things up. Right now, we gotta get Tori and Beck then get out of here."

While nobody would blame her, she refused to give in to her selfish desires right now, instead, nodding in agreement before being helped to her feet though, it was clear that something was seriously wrong. On top of Jade's legs being a little wobbly at first, Lucille pointed noticed something completely out of order with the goth.

"Liam, look at her legs!" she stared in horror.

Following her line of sight, he'd find that there was a trail of blood trickling onto the white padded floor. His muscles seized up seeing the scarlet liquid leaking like a faucet onto her black leggings. Expecting what was to come next, Jade began lightly chewing her lip.

"Jade, what happened?" Liam didn't even bother to hide the trembling in his voice. "Who did this to you?"

"No... I don't want to..." Azure crystals trailed off, knowing that looking in his general direction would shatter what little resolve he had left.

Every fiber of his being wanted to yell at Jade for answers, and yet, he believed he knew why she was keeping it a secret from him. So, against his better judgment, Liam let out an audible huff before nodding in understanding. In his mind, she'd been through enough trauma to last her a lifetime and he wasn't about to contribute anymore if it could be avoided.

"Alright, I won't push you for now..." his lips curled upwards just enough to give her some peace of mind. He then leaned down, pressing his lips softly to her forehead which made her feel more love than all the open mouth kissed combined "You can tell me whenever you feel you're ready. Sound ?"

"Sounds good to me," there was no snarky attitude or sarcasm behind her words. Every word in reply was genuine and that's how Jade wanted it to be. The trio then began to make their escape with Liam leading the charge. Behind him, Lucille carried Jade on her back as they traversed the dim tunnels until they were once more in the rec room.

To everyone's surprise, Robbie's body still laid prone and bound on the floor. It seemed whatever Lucille hit him with was truly super effective. Walking past the threshold, Liam inspected the room for any signs of a sneak attack. While there was no sight of that happening, two things didn't go unnoticed by the young man. The first was Jade's reaction, subtle as it was, upon viewing Shapiro's unconscious form. A brief flicker of fear flashed before returning to a normal blue shade, giving him the answer to who was the one to commit such a heinous act. Pure demonic rage burned from the pit of his soul, but he wasn't going to sacrifice their escape by satisfying some petty vendetta.

"Let's get out of here," he led the way to the other side only to find two figures entering from said exit.

Stopping a good distance, the three focused on the identities of the pair. One had long flowing hair while the other had a short pixie haircut that was all too recognizable to the couple, while Lucille looked on blankly. It wasn't until she took a good look at their eyes, each glowing with a faint amethyst color, that she became suspicious of their intentions.

"Mercedes." Liam narrowed his

"Vega!" Jade snarled, a blaze newly lit in her spirit upon seeing Tori's older sister.

"Who are these two?" Lucille raised an eyebrow, still a little lost on the connection between Liam & Jade and the two women across from them. "How do you two know them?"

"Remember the girl I told you broke Liam's heart?" Jade pointed to Trina Vega who didn't flinch. "That's her... and Honda over there is the one who damaged his nose prior to us meeting you."

Like her mother, Lucille was very protective of Liam and anyone who dared to harm her little brother was bound to pay, especially if they were foolish enough to return. Her multi-colored orbs flared up with a sinister aura that left no doubt as to her intentions.

"You aren't going anywhere," Mercedes announced, her tone carrying no emotion. "Except to hell."

"She's mine," she snarled.

"Good. That leaves me and Vega," Jade cracked her knuckles, her eyes never leaving the person who, arguably, could be mentioned as the cause of this mess. "I've been waiting for this."

Liam could only watch as the matches had been set before his very eyes. "Um... are you two sure about..?"

"Stay out of this, tiger/brother!" they snapped back, making him back away slowly.

 _Are you just going to stand by and take that?!_ Bosou finally quipped.

"You want to get in between them? Be my guest..." Liam whispered harshly at the spirit.

For once, Bosou didn't have a hyper-masculine comeback, instead deciding to shake his astral head.

 _I'm a fierce warrior, but, even I'm not stupid to challenge those two!_

'I thought so,' the teen crossed his arms, happy at his proverbial victory.

Now he could focus on the important things like the fight about to ensue. In honesty, he realized he still needed to recover if he was going to have to take on the spirit inside of Beck. He wasn't sure about fighting him, but it appeared that, unless things went smoothly, that would be inevitable especially with the proud Loa residing in his own body. For now, he was content with observing the two on two affairs, ready to jump in if necessary.


	44. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer : **

**This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously : **

"Let's get out of here," he led the way to the other side only to find two figures entering from said exit.

Stopping a good distance, the three focused on the identities of the pair. One had long flowing hair while the other had a short pixie haircut that was all too recognizable to the couple, while Lucille looked on blankly. It wasn't until she took a good look at their eyes, each glowing with a faint amethyst color, that she became suspicious of their intentions.

"Mercedes." Liam narrowed his eyes, surprise mixing with caution.

"Vega!" Jade snarled, a blaze newly lit in her spirit upon seeing Tori's older sister.

"Who are these two?" Lucille raised an eyebrow, still a little lost on the connection between Liam & Jade and the two women across from them. "How do you two know them?"

"Remember the girl I told you broke Liam's heart?" Jade pointed to Trina Vega who didn't flinch. "That's her... and Honda over there is the one who damaged his nose prior to us meeting you."

Like her mother, Lucille was very protective of Liam and anyone who dared to harm her little brother was bound to pay, especially if they were foolish enough to return. Her multi-colored orbs flared up with a sinister aura that left no doubt as to her intentions.

"You aren't going anywhere," Mercedes announced, her tone carrying no emotion. "Except to hell."

"She's mine," she snarled.

"Good. That leaves me and Vega," Jade cracked her knuckles, her eyes never leaving the person who, arguably, could be mentioned as the cause of this mess. "I've been waiting for this."

Liam could only watch as the matches had been set before his very eyes. "Um... are you two sure about..?"

"Stay out of this, tiger/brother!" they snapped back, making him back away slowly.

 ** _Are you just going to stand by and take that?!_** Bosou finally quipped.

"You want to get in between them? Be my guest..." Liam whispered harshly at the spirit.

For once, Bosou didn't have a hyper-masculine comeback, instead deciding to shake his astral head.

 ** _I'm a fierce warrior, but, even I'm not stupid to challenge those two!_**

'I thought so,' the teen crossed his arms, happy at his proverbial victory.

Now he could focus on the important things like the fight about to ensue. In honesty, he realized he still needed to recover if he was going to have to take on the spirit inside of Beck. He wasn't sure about fighting him, but it appeared that, unless things went smoothly, that would be inevitable especially with the proud Loa residing in his own body. For now, he was content with observing the two on two affairs, ready to jump in if necessary.

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 39: Bad JuJu**

After over 48 hours of captivity and torture at the hands of psychopaths, It was safe to say that Jade was in a foul mood. Being kidnapped by someone who better resembled a stalker than a sibling and a power-hungry matriarch was one thing, but, now she found herself staring at the one who started this downward spiral of pain and suffering and her lover. In the goth's mind, Trina Vega was solely responsible for the events that played out after she decided to run away from her problems several years prior and, while many would argue that her abrupt departure was what led to her and Liam finally hooking up, there still was no excuse for everyone else having to pay for the sins of the 'other Vega'.

Still weak from being pigeon-holed in that cramped cell, she was still a little disorientated due to the wretched treatment she'd received during her stay. On top of all of that, there still was the literal elephant in the room, Robbie Shapiro, who let out a soft groan as a result from the trouncing he earned from none other than her 'dance partner', Lucille.

"I hope you don't plan on getting in my way," she chuckled just soft enough to avoid aggravating any injuries she might have sustained. "or I might have to take you out as well, princess."

The curvier woman didn't break her glare from the short-haired girl who returned the visual gesture with equal force. Neither was willing to back down from the other. "I was going to say the same thing to you,belle-soeur..."

"Whatever, just remember that Vega's mine..." Azure cut to the Cajun though, unlike before, there was an obvious mischief dancing behind them. "I hope you can hold your own, that biker chick is no joke. She made Liam bleed..."

Lucille simply snickered at the warning. "That's all I needed to hear."

* * *

Off to the side sat an exhausted Liam, a lopsided grin adorning his face which surprised the typically malevolent spirit.

 _What are you so upbeat about?_

'Isn't it obvious?' Bosou said nothing. 'Jade and Lucille are about to unleash hell on those two. I thought you'd be the one enjoying this more than I?'

 ** _Hmmm... you make a good point._** He nodded within Liam's soul. **_Although, I'm not entirely sure I approve of such beautiful women beating one another senseless. Especially the short haired one._**

'The short-haired chick is a lesbian by the way...'

 ** _What!?_**

'Yep...' he snickered at the outrage being exhibited by the spirit. 'She's only into women, buddy.'

 ** _TAKE HER OUT!_**

'The mighty Bosou is nothing more than a misogynistic pervert?' Liam shook his head, amused at the Loa's sudden eruption of anger. 'Thought you were all about Marinette?'

 ** _Silence, mortal! Don't make accusations until you know the situation in its entirety._**

For what it was worth, the wounded boy chose not to invite any more of his internal resident's wrath, instead choosing to turn his attention to the events unfolding before him. Feeling the heaviness permeating throughout the painfully bright room, he felt a feeling of uneasiness worm its way into his core that forced him to chew on his lip lightly. On one end, he didn't know what to make of the circumstances involving Trina and Mercedes stopping their departure; hell, he didn't even know what they were doing here in the first place. The last time he saw either of them, he had received a swollen nose for his troubles back in New Orleans.

After that little encounter, he made it his mission to avoid both girls for obvious reasons, mainly Trina.

Now, he looked on at the standoff, carefully analyzing everything about the two who dare challenge Lucille and Jade.

* * *

Trina & Mercedes took a few steps forward, their faces staying frozen in a stone like glare, unnerving their opponents. Jade felt a bead of cold sweat running down her cheek, a sign of her concern for what might occur during the skirmish. If anyone had a valid reason for feeling this way, it was her. She noticed the menacing flicker of supernatural force behind the duo's orbs, letting her know that they had been imbued with some measure of power, no doubt from Cecilia herself...

There was no question that Liam's sister could take them on, but, her? What could she do besides punch the snot out of the older Vega? She didn't have any mystical ability to speak of that could combat whatever she volunteered to face. It was like bringing a knife to a gun fight, except the knife was her hands and the guns were magic. For the first time since Yerba, hell, since New Orleans, Jade felt useless...

"Jade?!"

She pulled her attention from her pity party at the sound of her partner's voice, only to see a blurred flash by her. She didn't have long to process what was going on as the goth felt something hard press into her back, knocking her already tired form onto the tiled floor below. Her body tingled directly from the spot where she'd been hit earlier, moaning from the sheer amount of force. Before she could get up and face her assailant, she'd feel another kick land on her ribs that sent her body crashing through the wall of the recreation room.

Lucille watched in horror but, had little time to check on the poor girl as she hopped back to avoid a heavy right hook from the one responsible for physically harming her younger sibling. "Eyes on me, bitch!"

Left. Right. Uppercut. Leg Sweep. She managed to barely dodge the ill-intended blows with perfect precision.

"You sure love to attack a distracted fighter, I see." she quipped just before blocking a flying knee with her forearm.

"Why don't you ask your pathetic excuse for a brother?" Mercedes' voice countered, connecting with a front kick to the sternum that knocked Lucille flat on her ass. "If you fight like he does, then you're just as pitiful as he is."

Without warning, Lucille speared her, their bodies rolling along the smooth floor until she herself ended up on top. Blow after blow, she rained down each fist with the pure intent of inflicting the most amount of damage on the girl underneath her.

Blow after blow. One after another. There was no reprieve from the thunderous onslaught being inflicted upon her rattled enemy.

Thankfully, Mercedes had the wherewithal to put her arms up in time to soften the fists raining down on her, each one feeling like a miniature shockwave. The savagery of the assault forced her to grit her teeth as the pain would grow to unbearable proportions over time.

"Take back what you said!"

She wasn't which was louder, the sounds of closed fists beating down on her or the roar of rage pouring from the enraged Lucille who had now straddled her, preventing any effective means of freedom.

Peaking through the cracks of her fleshly armor, she could make out the extent of the woman's ferocity; unblinking eyes lost in unbridled fury. Teeth snarling with a hunger for blood and destruction, preferably hers. Every part of Lucille left no debate that Mercedes was in legitimate danger if she didn't do something soon to shift the tides of this battle in her favor.

'Fight back!' she heard a sinister voice snap at her. 'Prove to me that you are worthy of this gift I've bestowed upon you!'

With that said, Mercedes felt the hit that forced her arms to drop from the painful heaviness. As the next one drew nearer to her exposed face, the girl felt her head move automatically to the right, hearing flesh on hard tile beside her. Without delay, she bucked her hips repeatedly until she successfully shook off Lucille from her mounted position.

'Now! Tap into this power and destroy that wretch!'

Mercedes wiped the sweat from her brows after reaching a kneeling position. Her arms felt sluggish after what she had just endured but she didn't complain. Closing her eyes, she closed her fists in frustration as merely a small amount of power began to surge. "I can't do it..." she desperately complained.

'That's because you're not focusing...' her inner thoughts barked. 'Find the one thing that infuriates your soul and let that fire erupt from within!'

Sighing, she nodded and tried again while Lucille growled in the distance. She too had managed to get up, her body slumped from landing on her left shoulder. None of that mattered to her as her mind became focused on her love, Trina Vega. Everything from her warm smile and cheerful attitude ever since they met to the look of sheer fear etched on her face after their first night in New Orleans assisted the flame's growth within her.

Then she realized...

Trina's look of fright after seeing her own flesh and blood made the fires inside gradually rise but, there was one who would help her traverse that line. The face of the young man, Liam, who was a mere few dozen feet away from them all. Everything about him seemed to double her hatred, the fires inside of her heart steadily becoming rampant and unchecked. She thought things were rectified between the two after the incident, yet, why was he the ultimate ingredient required to unleash this potential?

If what that Jade girl had stated was correct, Liam had moved on from her Trina a long time ago... Which should've put her mind at ease. Right?

'She still loves him!' multiple cries in her head acknowledged the unspoken inquiry, causing Mercedes to clutch her skull in agony from their repeated declarations.

 **"GET. OUT. OF. MY. HEAD!"** she exploded.

On the other side, Lucille took a few steps back, seeing violent energy begin to surge around the young woman. As it was, she wasn't about to dive blindly into a battle without knowing what she was up against. The young bokor turned around, seeing her brother climbing to his feet, prepared to join in if required. While he pushed up the wall, he felt his legs quiver a little, but, he had enough strength to keep his frame up. The enchanting whirlwind only grew in magnitude, the heat of hellacious bloodlust radiating as if boasting its presence. Siblings soon stood side by side, witnessing the transformation unfolding before them.

"What's going on?" Liam did his best to remain calm, though it was clear that this troubled him. With no response coming from Lucille, he spared a glimpse only to see her eyes swelling to the size of golf balls. "Sis?"

Her lips parted yet, her voice not even her own; simply a ghost of what it once was. "Oh, shit..."

* * *

The world just kept shifting around Jade, restricting her from regaining her stability after being jolted in the back. Glassy eyes surveyed the scene around her, the dimly lit room filled with exhaust pipes giving a clue that she must be in one of the boiler rooms. She rolled onto her side, still trying to shake off the cobwebs that currently clouded her vision only to stop and notice the large hole in the wall.

"How the hell am I not dead from that?" she gasped, grasping her tender throat quickly after.

"Because" she twisted her body around in search of whoever said that. "I'm not ready for you to die..."

Closing her eyes, Jade wiped the rose-colored liquid from her lips before clutching her damaged ribs once more. "You make it sound like you actually could. If I'm not mistaken, I just survived being thrown LITERALLY through the fucking wall that you soccer kicked me through. If that isn't a testament to my survival skills, I don't know what is."

The sounds of footfalls resounded inside the room, making Jade tense up. In truth, she wasn't so confident with the idea of stirring the empowered Trina Vega, while another part of her couldn't resist the chance to do so; Old habits die hard she guessed.

"You still have that witty tongue of yours," Trina replied in her own sassy timbre, appearing behind the wary girl. "Even after all of the torment you've endured, you still have the ability to shit talk?"

Inching away slowly, Jade refused to give her the pleasure of complete dominance. "Liam doesn't seem to have a problem with said tongue."

Anger washed over the diabolical girl's face much to Jade's delight; at least she could enjoy a verbal victory as her bloody lip began to curl upward. The smirk only grew as she slunk behind one of the brick walls that protected the piping hot boilers, knowing that Trina would ensue. Venturing deeper into the shadowy corridor, purple glowed like a flashlight, illuminating any pitch black nook that could potentially house her adversary.

"You can run, but you can't hide from me, witch!" she seethed, murderous intent oozing from her every syllable. "I'll find you, and when I do, I'll rip the flesh from your bones!"

* * *

 **Lucille & Liam**

The wave of mysticism began to die down, giving the siblings a clear view of what stood before them. Shock claimed their speech upon the result of Mercedes' transformation. Gone was the 5'8", brown-eyed young woman. Instead, they were witnessing a sheer monster of epic proportions staring back at them with hungry eyes. Its skin was grey with long black hair. Its body resembled that of a large lion. The head was that of a ram with a reptilian tail that slithered along the now dirty white floor.

"L-Lucille?" he swallowed hard at the grotesque creature. "What the fuck is that thing?!"

The creature bellowed at the offensive statement given to it, further cementing the two's cautionary approach.

"That's a... It's a real Chimera," she marveled.

At this point, he simply stared at her like she had grown a tail of her own. "Chimera? I thought those things only existed in Greek mythology?"

"There's more than one pantheon, baby brother..." she rolled her eyes. "That applies to that of Voodoo as well."

"Are you serious?" he face-palmed himself viciously just before the beast let out another roar that brought them out of their personal conversation. "So, what do we do about this thing?"

To his surprise, and disdain, Lucille just stood there shaking her head, eyes still locked on the creature before them in amazement. "I-I don't know..."

Growling at the pair, the Chimera started towards them, its teeth bared and coated in its own saliva as it charged. Fortunately, while it was rather fast, it couldn't reach the duo in time to capture them in its jaws as they managed to jump in opposite directions to avoid being its late night snack. As a result, the beast crashed headfirst into the wall, cracking it with its skull in the process. With the monster momentarily dazed, this gave the two enough time to escape...

...or so they thought.

Running towards the exit, they felt black tendrils wrap around them. Struggling to get free, they were forced to face the ire of an awakened Robbie Shapiro who managed to get free from Lucille's restrictive spell. Needless to say, he was nowhere near happy to see them at the moment.

"You two thankless brats have tried my patience for the last time!" he seethed, eyes glowing with a violet-colored fury. "Tonight, I end this tonight and be rid of you both!"

As if things couldn't get any worse for the two, Robbie, or rather Jericho, sent a surge of electricity through the appendages, shocking both with unmeasurable amounts of voltage. He enjoyed their shrieks of suffering, savoring their pain as if it were a fine vintage of wine. Lips pulled back in a grin of insanity, he then stopped the torture when Mercedes roared nearby, evidently none too pleased with seeing her prey being taken down by someone else.

"What do you want, now?" he didn't bother hiding the irritation in his voice. Large feral eyes narrowed as it tilted its head. "If you're so concerned, I'll let you devour them both... But, only once I've finished exacting my vengeance and not a moment sooner."

Still, this didn't satisfy the Chimera as it lunged next to the possessed teen, intent on eating him if need be. Through Robbie's eyes, the shade watched the defiance of the monstrous creature, both intrigued and furious at the gall of it. "It appears that the mutt..." he lashed out a third tendril knocking her clear across the room. "Needs to know who its master is!"

The blow simply served as a minor annoyance as Mercedes once more got up and charged at the scrawny teen only be swatted away repeatedly. Again and again, the beast tried to attack and assert its dominance only to be outclassed by Jericho each time. Despite its size and speed, it was clear that it was no match for him as both Lucille and Liam watched the scene unfold helplessly; Neither having the energy to even speak out against the cruel act.

After several more displays of authoritative force, the wounded Chimera laid down in a crumpled heap before the one who'd given it their power.

"Good," Robbie exhaled pointedly. "Seems, you've finally learned your place."

He then turned his attention his daughter and nephew, both of whom looked to be barely clinging to life at this point.

"I haven't forgotten about you two..." he sneered, eyes dancing with sickening glee at their plight. "I do apologize for the distraction, but, I assure you that you both have my undivided attention now." They could only groan weakly as the tentacles tightened their grip on their bodies, effectively restricting more of their already limited oxygen intake. "Now, the question is: Should I shock you two some more or squeeze until your heads pop off?"

Light began to fade from their eyes, a sight that was a welcomed sight for their captor. Lucille was the first to feel her life draining as she began to convulse while in his clutches, her head falling limply from the lack of air intake. Liam, on the other hand, felt one last surge of adrenaline rush through his veins as he peered at his sister's felt a wave of hatred, the likes he'd never felt before, circulate from his body in an attempt to rip away from Jericho's grasp.

 ** _I've had enough of you, Jericho!_**

Taken aback, the crafty shade managed to relinquish the hold on Liam, dropping him unceremoniously onto the floor with an audible thud. Despite this, the spiritual arm continued to stretch out at the fearful teen who continued to back away. His eyes stretched with sudden fear, Robbie couldn't find any form of sanctuary from the vengeful hand of Bosou's. Inch by inch it slinked toward him, feeding on the panic practically coating his hunt. This was further exemplified when he released the unconscious Lucille in the process.

"Stop it, Bosou!" the aqua-hued ethereal limb stopped just millimeters from the shaggy-haired teen. "Can't you see that your host is desperately clinging to life?!"

 ** _What do I care?!_** harsh words laced with ill intent reverberated. _**This sorry excuse for a Loa has tested me for the last time!**_

"That may be, but, how will you enact your revenge on Ibo Lele?" the motherly tone made him hesitant. "Would you truly waste your opportunity at that for a failed Loa candidate?"

Bosou, feeling he had no comeback, huffed in frustration before rescinding his presence from the petrified form of Robbie Shapiro. Celeste observed closely as it returned to the body of her half-conscious son before finally tending to both of her children. While this unsued, Robbie's chest rose and fell heavily after nearly being taken by the high caliber Loa. Once more, the shade within felt the sweet taste of relief, once again cheating death. Eyes then settled on the Elder woman, narrowing as her back was turned to him; she was easy pickings now. The three responsible for his demise throughout the years were all together, two unable to move and one too old to properly defend herself. He didn't allow another thought to pass, only his body moving on instinct as he rushed, three tendrils, each infused with a sinister aura.

"Send my regards to Alexandre!" he spat with such venom, unleashing the full brunt of his power upon the formerly broken family.

There was no escape. Nowhere to hide. No time to counter. It was too late as the points of each appendage made contact. A disturbing sense of glee filled the vicious Jericho resting inside of Robbie Shapiro at the success of his assault. There was no doubt this time... He'd won.

So why didn't he feel like he was victorious?

"You still haven't learned, have you shade?" that voice. That cursed voice made the boy shiver in rage. "After all of these years, you still never learned when to quit."

Unsure of what to do, Robbie/Jericho looked on to find that, while the dark tendrils did make contact, it wasn't with flesh. Instead, it was caught in the black and red hands of another, all too familiar Loa. Unlike Bosou, this one had little regard for life outside of those that served it unconditionally.

"B...Bakulu?!" Robbie's eyes shook behind his thick-rimmed glasses.

The visage of the mighty Bakulu rose from Celeste's form, the older woman still concerned with the health and well being of her offspring. Its own form took shape, turning from a bloody red aura into that of a slim African male. He wore a fancy suit that was decorated with various skull accessories tastefully adorning his slender physique; smooth chocolate skin perfectly complimented by the attire. His hair was long and slicked back into a ponytail, carefully tucked under a jet black top hat with red trim; a clear contrast to the expected form he was known for.

"It's good to know that you recognize me," he tipped his hat to the trembling youth. "Although, I must admit that I'm not too fond of making direct appearances. I'd count yourself very lucky to have this honor. Wouldn't you?"

Still, at a loss for words, the teen tripped over his feet, falling flat on his ass in the process. None of that seemed to matter at the moment. Here he was, in the presence of one of the most malicious spirits known in New Orleans which only meant one thing for any who actually laid eyes on him: certain death.

"Now, now... don't be alarmed," his voice was smooth, like silk wrapping around the frame of a lovely young woman after a lavender-infused bath. "I must say, I'm impressed with what you've managed to accomplish even after being rejected for the position of Loa, Jericho. You've managed to marry a powerful sorceress, and created not one but two powerful children in the process. You've been involved in such a masterful plan that even I must take a moment to bask in the success you've achieved thus far," his slim chest bouncing with the chuckle that vibrated through his body. "Hell, you even managed to not only possess multiple hosts, but you even created a Chimera as well."

"..."

"Now, if I had to be frank, I'd certainly say that you've earned a spot among us," he bent over, grinning slyly at the scared being. "Unfortunately, there's only one problem. One that generally flushes everything here down the drain..." Coal orbs began to burn, crimson encompassing his entire portals. "You dared to challenge me, you pathetic worm..."

"N...no! I didn't!" he pleaded, inching further away only to bump into the legs of the now, frowning Loa. "P...please! I beg you!"

"Whether you realize it or not, you tried to kill Celeste, my host. Unfortunate," he tsked several times, eyeing the display of weakness from the shade imbued human. "If you only learned to use that brain for something other than schemes, you would remember when you were trying to eat her after your wife trapped her in a block of ice, correct?"

No answer.

"Very good. Now, the first time can be considered a mistake, but twice?" he then raised a single digit, wagging it playfully. "That's a premeditated action, my friend."

"I...I didn't... I mean! N-no!"

"Goodbye, Jericho..."

Before Robbie's body could react, his eyes were locked on the arm buried inside of his chest. Was this it? Was this to be his fate after all he had done? The sheer pain coursing through his torso was so immense that he couldn't even cry out. His bulging eyes danced in rhythm with the now inconsistent beat of his heart as each second passed with a sharp intensity that brought him closer the afterlife.

This wasn't wasn't what he wanted.

This isn't how it was supposed to end for him.

His mind, as best it could wonder about his past, began to replay everything from the past few years. From being labeled a nerd and creepy ventriloquist at Hollywood Arts several years back to being talked off of that scaffold and meeting Ahrya, he thought he understood what it meant to feel accepted. Then came Liam who welcomed him as not only a roommate but also as a friend. After the moment Trina left, things began to take a turn for the worst for his buddy while things were getting better on his end, or so he'd like to believe.

Painful realization began to set in as Robbie found himself making peace with his decisions in life. As Liam and Ahrya's relationship became strained, he found himself growing more and more distant with the girl as well whenever the latter was in a bad mood. Slowly, he began reverting back to his old ways, the days when he had Rex to be his mouthpiece. He would follow Ahrya around like a starving puppy, believing it to be a form of real love for the first time since his early childhood. It was that need for love that drove him to challenge Liam who was only doing what any good boyfriend would for the one he loved. It pushed him to even commit such a heinous act against Jade at his 'girlfriends' beck and call.

Then came her obsession with Beck.

Yes, he knew what was going on between them. He was there when she was blocking the pretty boy from getting past in school or when she'd volunteer to be his partner in several productions. Even the sex, whether they knew it or not, he knew... He would try and contact her only for her to either ignore him outright or make up some lame excuse in order to get back to her unwilling boy toy. The question he asked himself now was simply...

Why?

As he felt that last tether of life being tugged by the malevolent spirit, he smiled, hot tears streaming down his cheek. This, however, was no longer from the unbearable pain racking within him but, from the painful truth that had blinded him for so long.

He loved her...

His lips straightened as he exhaled, closing his eyes as that bright light began to shine on him. Whatever his eternal fate was, he would face it with a smile when he got there. He wasn't a child, but a man.

"Men takes responsibility for their actions...' he thought to himself as his body floated in the void while in the real world, Bakulu had just finished ripping out the final strand that connected his heart to his body before returning to his host.

* * *

Jade wasn't sure how much longer she could run. By now, her lungs were burning with each attempt to draw oxygen. She couldn't keep up this game of Cat & Mouse for too much longer but, she felt she had to if she was going to stay alive. If one were to guess, she continued to invoke some type of emotional outcry from the older Vega as she gave chase. From hiding every few minutes and slipping through various crawl spaces, the ivory-skinned girl soon found herself in what seemed like a large laundry room, judging by the surplus of washing machines and dryers.

Her legs ached, along with the rest of her body, causing her lean against one of the empty machines to rest. She didn't get a chance to do so for long as the sounds of footsteps caught her ears. She'd twist her body swiftly, cursing herself for doing so due to the dull pain that resulted, to find Trina had caught up with her. Her blood raced through her veins as she stalked closer, grinning like the cat who ate the canary.

"Now, I finally get to finish the queen bitch..." her voice, devoid of emotional content. "Any last words, Jade?"

While nervous, Jade's look of worry quickly changed to one of confusion then, renewed confidence.

"Yeah, look who's powerless...?" she teased, crossing her arms.

True to her words, the demonic aura began to dissipate like steam, leaving the former Hollywood Art wannabe, (in Jade's opinion), in a weakened state. This led Jade to believe that Liam and Lucille had something to do with this, but, she'd inquire about that later. For now, she settled on keeping her guard up just in case.

"So what are you waiting for?" Trina spat steadily dropping to her knees. "Aren't you going to pummel me now? I'm too tired to defend myself..."

Surprisingly, Jade didn't take the bait. "While that is true, I have no intentions of soiling my hands."

Laughing bitterly, Trina flashed a glare at the gothic chick. "Why not? Am I suddenly not good enough for you to beat up?"

Frustration began to set in on Jade West who simply could not fathom her pursuer's attitude. It was like she was hoping to be attacked as if that would provide some degree of validation. One way or another, this night would be the end of things involving their feud.

"No, Trina... I'm not going to inflict physical harm on you," she held up a hand just as she was about to interrupt. "Because I want you to answer me one simple question."

Skeptical at first, Trina couldn't sense any trick or sarcasm from her verbal rival. Either way, she didn't drop her guard even for a second, though her body did force her to take a seat. next to one of the nearby dryers across from her. "What would that be?"

"Do you still love him?"

Azure orbs locked onto honey gates, both piercing through the obvious cracks in the other's defenses. There was no advantage, no high ground to protect one from the other, only two young women, each stripped down to their purest forms. For Jade that meant going back to her days prior to Hollywood Arts, before she became harsh and cold towards nearly everyone. In the case of Trina Vega, she would be forced to endure the feelings of inadequacy and rejection she once felt from her peers, teachers, and even her parents.

More importantly, both knew they were at a point before the one person who changed their lives forever.

"What?" she scoffed, averting her eyes at anything other than the girl sitting a few feet away from her.

"You heard me," Jade repeated, giving no indication of her emotional status at the moment. "Are you still in love with Liam?"


	45. Chapter 40

**Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously :**

"So what are you waiting for?" Trina spat steadily dropping to her knees. "Aren't you going to pummel me now? I'm too tired to defend myself..."

Surprisingly, Jade didn't take the bait. "While that is true, I have no intentions of soiling my hands."

Laughing bitterly, Trina flashed a glare at the gothic chick. "Why not? Am I suddenly not good enough for you to beat up?"

Frustration began to set in on Jade West who simply could not fathom her pursuer's attitude. It was like she was hoping to be attacked as if that would provide some degree of validation. One way or another, this night would be the end of things involving their feud.

"No, Trina... I'm not going to inflict physical harm on you," she held up a hand just as she was about to interrupt. "Because I want you to answer me one simple question."

Skeptical at first, Trina couldn't sense any trick or sarcasm from her verbal rival. Either way, she didn't drop her guard even for a second, though her body did force her to take a seat. next to one of the nearby dryers across from her. "What would that be?"

"Do you still love him?"

Azure orbs locked onto honey gates, both piercing through the obvious cracks in the other's defenses. There was no advantage, no high ground to protect one from the other, only two young women, each stripped down to their purest forms. For Jade that meant going back to her days prior to Hollywood Arts, before she became harsh and cold towards nearly everyone. In the case of Trina Vega, she would be forced to endure the feelings of inadequacy and rejection she once felt from her peers, teachers, and even her parents.

More importantly, both knew they were at a point before the one person who changed their lives forever.

"What?" she scoffed, averting her eyes at anything other than the girl sitting a few feet away from her.

"You heard me," Jade repeated, giving no indication of her emotional status at the moment. "Are you still in love with Liam?"

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 40: Earth & Water**

Celeste continued to monitor the state her children were in, all while the manifested form of Bakulu stood over the blood-soaked body of Robbie Shapiro. His heart held firmly in the Loa's palm, there was a deafening silence that washed over everyone within the room. For Celeste, she didn't want to bear witness to the grotesque display committed. In her heart, she had enough to worry about with reviving Lucille and Liam, the latter beginning to stir from his unwarranted slumber. It was a blessing he was knocked out during the events that'd just unfolded, thus preventing him from having to watch the gory execution.

"Are you done?" her words were raspy, a testament to her conspicuous distaste towards the spirit's actions. "I suggest you finish the job and eat it?"

Bakulu just stood there, inspecting the tainted organ as if it were a work of art. "My apologies, Celeste. It's been so long since I was summoned to this world completely. I trust you understand?"

She refused to acknowledge the taunt, choosing to focus on healing her oldest. He cut his eyes behind him, remaining where he stood while continuing to marvel at what was expected to be his next meal. As the crimson drops splattered softly on the eggshell-colored tiles, he noticed that, while it was almost entirely black, there was a faint glow, a timid but steady beating from inside it. This both confused and intrigued Bakulu who decided instead to tuck the heart inside of his spectral garments.

"For now, I'll save my trophy for later..." a smug grin pulled at his lips. "I trust you have no objections?"

"..."

"Very well," he took off his hat, brushing off some imaginary dust before placing it atop his head once more. "I look forward to the next time you need me in this world, my dear." Without another word, he began to fade away, once more assimilating inside of the middle age woman. Disgust left a bitter taste in her mouth once he resurfaced inside of her soul; the knowledge of that dark entity having that poor boy's vital organ with him as a trophy made her want to vomit right there but, she resisted the urge to. The pit of her stomach dropped at the realization that a young soul was taken from this earth before its time due to Jericho.

"Mom?" her eyes widened hearing her son call her, his voice like a child waking up from their nap. "Is that really you?"

The sight of her child rubbing his eyes in disbelief did just enough to settle the sourness brewing in her stomach. To her, he was but one of her saving graces from her past mistakes. Along with her oldest, Lucille, they were reminders that she had done some good in her life amidst her questionable decisions, including housing the dubious Bakulu inside of her heart. She nodded slowly, tears of relief washing down her features seeing that he was both conscious and capable of forming coherent sentences.

"Yes, it's me, son," She was bombarded by a warm hug from the still groggy Liam only to feel another pair of arms wrap around her from behind. Peeking over her shoulder, Celeste would see her newly awoken daughter, feeling a radiance that could only be understood by a mother and her children. Rough hands clutched at her dress, implanting their fears and worries into the soft fabric of the garment. In her eyes, they were her babies, products of love and strength long forgotten in the depths of her past shortcomings as a parent.

Now, she truly felt like a true mother being given the chance to redeem the time that she spent in isolation aside from her standard tasks as a shop owner.

Cradling both siblings in her arms, she felt her heart leap for joy knowing that they were both alive and safe.

"Thank you, mother."

"For what, child?" the older woman stared confusingly at the young woman. Contrary to her adult physique, Lucille buried her face in her mother's bosom, nuzzling the older woman in a way similar to a loving kitten.

"For saving us..." she whimpered, her voice haggard from the effects of the python grip of Jericho's tendrils earlier.

While this went on, Liam wouldn't be able to share in the familial bonding as his attention was pulled away by a voice all too familiar; a voice that brought him angst instead of peace. Pulling away from the loving sanctuary that was his mother's arms, emerald pools noticed the body of the young woman who tried to destroy both he and his sister just minutes earlier. Unlike earlier, she was no longer the hulking scaly creature but had returned to her original form.

Not too far away, his eyes traveled only to find the prone body of Robbie Shapiro lying in a pool of his own blood forcing him to clench shut the gateway to his soul. In truth, he wasn't sure of how he felt about the former ventriloquist's untimely fate. At the moment, there was only one thing that truly mattered to him...

"Mom...?" there was nothing but a light trace of curiosity drizzled over the single word. "Did you find her?"

Knowing of whom he spoke of, Celeste couldn't decipher whether the news would cause her son to full out erupt or if he was actually capable of holding onto his temper; the last thing she wanted was for him to run off and act out of his emotions.

 ** _You must stop babying the boy..._** Bakulu's sickeningly smooth voice echoed in her head, carrying along with it the bitter taste of the Loa's earlier action. **_If you never listen to anything else, listen now. He's housing the spirit of Bosou and he must be strong if he could accomplish that. Now isn't the time to treat him like a toddler just because you fear for his wellbeing. You must tell him even the most trivial things if you ever hope to maintain and strengthen your bond with him, Celeste._**

Whether she liked it or not, the typically uncaring spirit was right.

She shouldn't demean his intelligence by coddling him and keeping secrets. She had to see him for what he truly was:

He was a man.

Slightly wrinkled lips flattened into a straight line as her duel colored orbs felt the weight of Liam's own gaze resting on her.

"Yes, I found her..." she nodded, though it was evident that there was more to be revealed. She stood to her feet, watching as the two mirrored her, Lucille now showing interest in the outcome of their mission. "She... The poor girl was being held as a patient in this facility shortly after you children arrived back home."

Half expecting shock or horror to appear on the boy's face, both Celeste were greeted by a somber expression. His silence was accompanied by an averted gaze that signaled something akin to shame more than anything else. What came next was a surprise to even himself.

"What?"

"After discovering her whereabouts, she revealed that she was kidnapped long before Jade and..."

"And what?" This time the older sibling spoke up, hope mixing with eagerness.

"She was constantly sedated by your aunt and cousin; kept under lock and key until the day her absence would be discovered. She didn't know why she was being taken hostage as she wasn't involved with what happened in Louisianna but," she swallowed the lump in her throat. "She figured that it had something to do with Liam and sought a way to escape this accursed place. She was fortunate that we came when we did."

A dark scowl tugged at the edge of Liam's lips, splitting his face into a deeply formed snarl, revealing the pointed teeth that sat on the corner of his mouth.

"I should've known..." his tone was no louder than a gentle breeze that could pass by even the most alert of individuals if they weren't paying close enough attention. "I should've fucking known...!"

"Liam!" the sound of his name, when called out by the matriarch, froze every muscle in his 6'1" frame. "Gather yourself and listen!"

"But, mom!"

"But, nothing!" the stern volume left no room for debate as the woman steadily approached her irate son. "I am your mother and I know best."

Normally, this would've been the end of the conversation. There would be no drive to fight back or challenge the more experienced woman.

This time, however, was totally different.

Amidst the emotional distress, Liam faced the woman with the deepest of glares. His eyes, typically shining like an emerald, were now nothing more than a pitch black abyss with two dull green rings replacing his pupils; a sign of Bosou's increasing influence.

"You know best?" the arrogance in his voice was something that neither of the two women expected, though they didn't waver. "Who are you to tell me something like that?! You, the one who was nowhere in my life for 95% of my life! You, who left me in the care of an abusive uncle who turned out to later be a demonic entity that loathed my very existence. You, who gave me up in the first place! How dare you spout that bullshit to me?!"

His rage knew no restriction at this point, not that there was one powerful enough to contain it at this point. Behind those pits of fury, there was an aura of pain that flowed out as if it were a polluted geyser. Pain that came from his feelings of abandonment echoing the cries of a child looking for love yet, not truly knowing how to accept it fully. Celeste could see this as clear as day, her face never once shifting away from the unreadable expression.

This wasn't completely the Loa surfacing. This was him feeding on the dark wounds of a broken child's sorrow.

There was only one thing she felt she could do at this point.

The sound of flesh making contact with another rang all throughout the pale white room followed closely behind by a thick quietness. The sound resembled that of the crack of a whip, equaled only by the stinging sensation across Liam Alexandre Patterson's face. His mahogany skin had now been tarnished with the temporary shade of red burning against his cheek, drawing not his fury, but a look of pure shock.

"W-what?" he dared not touch the spot for fear of the painful traces of his mother's discipline.

A mother who stood before him with an intensity that had been forgotten since their battle with Cecilia several months prior.

"I have spent decades living with the guilt and shame of that wretched night..." the passionate fire, flames of a mother's love and redemption blazed from behind her visual gates. "I've lost so much and tried to pretend that it didn't bother me. That night, I lost the man I love to a murderous and vindictive sister. I lost not only my son but I neglected my daughter indirectly after years of being distant and too stern with her. I gave up my title of Voodoo Queen in hopes of erasing that dreadful night."

Celeste didn't realize it, but her fists were turning to a rose color from the build-up of blood.

"After so many years, I wasn't sure if I'd ever get a chance to redeem myself as a mother," she grit her teeth as if each word was a barb being regurgitated. "Until you showed up that fateful day. I wasn't sure but, after Lucille's persistence, I realized that I'd been given a second chance and I'll be damned if I let anyone take that chance away from me!"

Listening to everything, Liam's reckless resolve began to fade away into the wind.

"I love you, son..." her voice cracked slightly, her anger giving way to her true feelings towards him. "I am so sorry for all of the years that you spent wondering if your mama loved you. I can't change the past, but I can be there for you from this point on; that is if you want me and your sister to be."

Being the odd woman out, Lucille looked on as her family mulled over what had just occurred, uncertain of what this meant for them all. Thankfully, she saw a ghost of a smile appear on the boy's face. What's better, she noticed the dark possession had begun to retreat, allowing his natural eye color to return as well.

"I'm sorry mom..." he kicked some imaginary dust, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I didn't mean to lash out like that."

"It's alright, Alexandre."

Whether he'd admit it or not, Liam loved the way his mother called him by his middle name rather than his first one. It was her direct connection to his paternal heritage and thus, it made him feel that much closer to the woman as if the flush on his cheek didn't already spell that out.

For now, things were settled in Lucille's mind.

"By the way, where is Tori? And Lola by the way?" his gaze wandered off, still feeling the effects of embarrassment rushing through his form.

"Well, Tori was with me... but, she went down the other hallway just before I showed up here." The older woman then felt her hands begin to fidget. "As for Lola?"

Liam stared at the woman, trying to figure out what had the woman so shaken up all of a sudden.

"Son, you should go now," her eyes locked onto her offspring's, hiding something from him yet, revealing so much at the same time. "If you hurry, you should be able to catch up to her. She claimed she was going to find your other lady friend in that direction."

"Jade!" he resisted the urge to facepalm himself, mostly due to the aforementioned injury.

"We'll take care of the others here and meet you at the main gate."

Nodding, Liam began to take off only to return, giving both Celeste and Lucille quick yet, meaningful hugs before starting for the door once more. He didn't say anything else. In a way, he didn't need to at that moment. His actions answered the inquiry lingering above their somewhat strained relationship. No doubt, he wanted them both in his life as much as possible despite the past.

At this point, all he needed to do was reunite with both Tori & Jade, the latter he knew would be happy to see him. The only thing that troubled him was one particular element that could be indirectly blamed for all of this, to begin with:

Trina.

* * *

Jade and her pursuer sat in uncomfortable silence, a single question weighing down on the latter. For the weary goth, she was beginning to grow impatient at Trina's unwillingness to answer, each second only adding fuel to the flames of irritation. For the older Vega, she had proceeded to do anything in hopes that her interrogator would drop the inquisition altogether.

"Dammit..." azure gems glowed an eerie shade, no doubt remnants of Jade's annoyance. "Would you stop ducking the question and answer it! You seem to use your mouth for everything else..."

Outside of physically harming the young woman, her statement seemed to stir something inside of Trina Vega, triggering a dark resolve of her own.

"What's that supposed to mean?" narrowed lids, focused on the raven-haired teen. "I bet Liam told you all types of bad stories about me, huh?"

"Nope... To be honest, he didn't have to say much about you."

"Excuse me?"

Jade sighed, not really wanting to explain herself, yet she relented on her natural instinct. "Liam only knows the part about your past that he's either seen or heard from you directly. However, I know about your past from another source." Trina arched an eyebrow, curious as to where Jade was going with this. "It's the second reason I broke up with Beck a while back."

For the first time, since New Orleans, Trina's heart dropped.

"Beck was your handler, correct?" she nodded, opting not to verbally respond. "And Liam was your savior, your knight in shining armor. The evening you two met, he and I had just finished our rehearsal for the kickback and you, you were busy getting 'tips' when he happened to discover your plight. From that point on, you continued to try and distance yourself from him in hopes that he wouldn't get dragged into your problems. But, there was something you weren't telling him or, rather something you lied about: You knew that Beck was the one who was keeping an eye on you the entire time..."

"So? What about it?" Thick arms folded under her ample breasts. "If you knew this, then why didn't you tell him? Why didn't the bitch queen, Jade West, rat me out? It seems you had more to gain by doing that, seeing as you and he had sex already."

For once, Jade knew she had a point.

"True, I could've told Liam," she tapped her chin.

"So, why didn't you...!" Trina snapped, catching herself right afterward.

"Because it wasn't my place."

Silence again filled the laundry room, bathing the girl with the faint scent of old fabric softener sheets; mountain spring or something along that scent.

"What do you want from me, Jade?" Trina exhaled gently, wishing she was anywhere else but here. "Why does any of this matter to you now?"

Blue eyes stared at brown, ice vs earth engaged in a heated debate that needed no words.

"Trina."

The mere mention of her actual first name by Jade was enough for the Latina to lower her guard just a bit.

"Please tell me what you're actually seeking from me," she pleaded. Like a child desperate to go outside and play with their friends, Trina Vega pleaded. "Why are you so adamant about this? Are you trying to belittle me again? Is this just so you can go back and spread the word that the 'talentless Vega' screwed up again?"

The heartbreak behind her own line of questioning pierced through Jade West's heart.

"Surprisingly, no..."

"So what then?"

"I want to know if you still love him because," she chewed on her lip lightly, unsure if whether she wanted to know the true answer anymore herself. Yet, she ignored the doubt that slinked around her soul, tempting her to forget her mission and wait for either Liam or someone else to arrive. "I want to know where to go from here. I know he loves me and Tori, but, I'd be a fool to think that you've completely moved on from him, even if you're with Toyota..."

"Mercedes."

"Whatever..." she rolled her eyes, much to Trina's disdain. "The point is, we both know that you and he have unfinished business. He's spent the last two and a half years trying to burn you out of his heart, not because he didn't love you anymore... It was because he finally accepted that you weren't coming back. The guy literally became a hermit because he was hoping you'd return and things could go back to the way they were but, you never did."

"I mean-"

"No! You don't get to speak unless you answer my question!" the goth growled.

Trepidation began to set in as latent anger began to bubble inside the other. This was not a game, at least not one that Trina wanted to play without knowing all of the rules. This was a chess match, and she was used to playing checkers. If she didn't move carefully, she'd be defeated flawlessly with no mercy shown. For now, though, she held the high ground and that's all she needed until she could figure out a way to get out of this unfortunate situation.

"I don't have to answer to you," she stuck out her tongue, shades of her earlier years in Hollywood Arts; a time when nearly all of her comebacks consisted of butt jokes. "I owe you nothing..."

"Then what about me?"

That voice. Soft-spoken yet, powerful in its own way, shook the pair as their eyes trailed over to the makeshift space where Tori Vega was crawling through.

Her eyes had dark circles under them. Her posture was horrid but well hidden as she leaned against the sole opening for support. Her olive skin was slightly paler than usual, something that caught Jade's eyes immediately, sparking a degree of anger deep from her gut. Considering that, the scissor loving girl began to confirm some suspicions that had risen in her head several days ago, after her initial abduction.

"Tori?" the older sister whispered her name as if uttering it too loudly would cause the image in front of her to fade into the wind. "Is that really you?"

Dull bronze eyes, flickering with hope and love, accented an attempt at a weak smile tugged at the slim teen's lips.

"Good to see you again, Vega," Jade flirted. "Though you look like a bit worse for wear."

Tori simply nodded, resisting the urge to comment on her own physical status.

"Little sister!" Tori turned her attention to Trina who wasn't taking kindly to being overlooked. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine..." she stepped fully into the room, her gentle grin pacifying both girl's worries. "But, Jade does have a point, Trina. You need to explain to us what you really think about Liam though. If not for Jade, then... maybe you'd tell me how you really feel about him?"

Initially, Trina wanted nothing more than to keep defenses up and block out either girl's plea until she was able to gain enough strength to leave under her own power. Given both of their states, it wouldn't take long for her to recover from the draining effects of whatever was dominating her and yet, she made one grave mistake: locking eyes with her sister.

Those eyes.

Those damn coffee-colored orbs, full of desperation and support.

She closes her own, stifling her frustration while mentally screaming curses at her weakness.

"Fine..." she relented, glaring at the floor. Her lips pressed together, a sour feeling beginning to surge in her core. "If it's that relevant to you both, I haven't fallen for him again..." Noticing Jade's skeptical face, she lifted a single digit, letting the pale girl know that she wasn't finished with her answer. It was a small victory, but one that she couldn't enjoy for very long as she shook like a leaf in the wind. "...I never stopped."

Those words stunned the two.

"What do you mean you 'never stopped'?"

The older Vega sister flashed a sinister look at Jade who uncharacteristically recoiled.

"After things got bad all of those years ago..."

"You mean when you ran away?"

"Jade!" Tori scolded before turning her attention back to her sibling. "Please continue."

"After I left that night, I was so sure that I was making the right decision. I was leaving behind the debt that I owed. That hell of a lifestyle. A school that only saw me as a harlot, and people who didn't really care whether or not I lived or died," she missed the grimace on Tori's features after the mention of that last piece. "Why wouldn't someone want to leave?"

Neither uttered a word, both evenly guilty of one or more of those things.

"After draining out every cent I could get out of my bank account, I fled to the airport but," Her head drooped, feeling the gravity of her explanation pressing down against it. "Even with all of those horrible things to justify my leaving, there was one thing that almost made me go back."

"Him..." Tori whispered, feeling her cheeks burning at the mere idea of Liam.

Trina nodded, her lips stretching just enough to flash a shred of a grin. "That night, we gave each other our virginities and... that alone was special."

"But you still thought it best to leave him?" Tori placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Yes. I spent almost an hour on that plane suddenly questioning whether or not I should go back," she wrapped her arms around her knees and started rocking back and forth like a child lost in their own little world. "I almost went did. But, just as I got up, I thought about everything he'd ever said or done on my behalf. From him challenging those rich snobs after the kickback to him wanting to help me get out of my debt, there was a part of me that wondered if he would've succeeded."

"He would!" Jade spoke up again, this time with a sincerity and passion that was missing before. "Liam's helped many of us on several occasions where his life was on the line and not once did he think twice. I have no doubt that he would've taken on anyone if it meant your freedom!"

Despite the clear sign of physical and mental trauma, Trina Vega saw a determination that reminded her of the cocky Jade of old. Back then, she dreaded that look but now? Now, she couldn't help but smile, her pearl white teeth appearing at the maturity of the younger girl.

"Maybe you're right..." she whispered, feather-like words tickling her lips. "But, I can't change the past and plus, I love Mercedes."

"True. But you can fix the future, sis."

"How?"

"By acknowledging the mistakes you've made and learning from them." Seeing Jade scoot over, the Vega siblings would witness the most shocking moment thus far as the goth pulled the suddenly fearful Trina into a warm hug. The gesture lasted for several seconds before the two pulled apart. "You also need to forgive yourself..."

Even more surprising, oak wood locks soon shrouded the slightly fizzled midnight hair of Jade, who now found herself captured in another hug courtesy of her girlfriend and future sister-in-law(?).

'Thoughts for later,' she mused.

For now, she was content that things were becoming somewhat normal after all that they had endured up to this point.

There was only one more thing that would make things absolutely perfect...

* * *

Liam ran, checking every door that would open for him. His lungs burned and his legs, aching with each step but he refused to stop. With each empty room, the boy felt his drive to find his significant others waning. Taking in as much air as he could, he pushed his body past its limits, ignoring them as he passed the rustic halls.

'How could I be so reckless?' he chastised himself, swerving around a sharp turn and narrowly avoiding the sharp corner. 'First I find and lose Jade and now Tori was nearby and I was unconscious!' he roared in his head. He held on to the fact of the former being tougher than most and the latter having a knack for survival when needed, but, it did little to comfort him.

His mind racing as quickly as his feet, he would be forced to stop in his tracks. Upon his temporary cease in his hunt for the ladies, Liam soon gagged at the putrid scent filling his nose. As if breathing wasn't already hard enough, he now had to deal with filtering the smell that made him want nothing more than to vomit. The mix of rotten food, raw sewage, and decomposition forced him to shove his face into his shirt before continuing towards a brown door at the end of the corridor. Even his eyes began to water from the rancid air surrounding him.

"What. The. Fuck!" he coughed, feeling his stomach fighting against him in the war on his lunch.

He couldn't turn back now, not after how far he's come.

Limbs throbbing, he rushed to the door in hopes that it would be unlocked or at least, breakable.

"Jade, Tori," he whispered in his mind, preparing himself for whatever opposition awaited him. "I'm coming..."

As he neared his target, Liam buried his arm into the wooden door crashing through to the other side, splintering the entrance. Tremendous pain surged throughout his form but, at least the smells filling his nostrils were somewhat bearable compared to just seconds earlier.

"Ow..." he moaned, his face resting on the cold floor, dazed from his attack.

He rolled onto his back, the gleaming lamps flooding his vision. Under the bright lights, multiple figures were suddenly hovering over his mumbling form.

"Liam?"

Liam was unable to make out the figures but there was no doubt in his mind that he recognized those two voices. Ignoring his injuries, he felt his galloping heart rate begin to decrease to a much more manageable pace as he let out a soft chuckle of triumph.

'But... who was the third figure?'

"Is he always this clumsy?"

"No way..." he slowly sat up to take in his surroundings. "Is that-?"

He didn't get to finish his question as he was tackled by two pairs of arms squeezing him for dear life. Warm limbs clutched at his damaged shirt followed by a series of kisses smothering his lips and cheeks. He was unable to react properly at first but eventually, he'd wrap his arms around both Jade and Tori closing the remaining gap between them.

Against his own desires, he needed to breathe.

Gently pulling away, he took in the sight of both of his loves, emerald eyes glistening with the sudden formation of wet crystals.

It was if time had stood still as his heart, mind, and soul were coming to terms with what his vision was showing them.

"Tori?"

She nodded eagerly, unable to hold back her own tears.

"Jade?"

She averted her gaze while tucking her hair behind her ear.

"It's us, Tiger," she pulled him into another quick hug.

Placing a hand on her back, her body shuddered in delight under his touch, momentarily drawing her back to more peaceful times. It took everything in her not to succumb as she bit her lip and forced herself from the safety of his body. Tori, on the other hand, did no such thing and pounced on him. Though, rather than capturing his lips as expected, she instead knelt down, burying her face in his shirt, sobbing silently as the others watched.

"I'm here, Tori..." he stroked her hair softly.

She didn't say anything.

"Mhmm..." she whimpered, coating his shirt with drops of relief and longing.

"Tori? What's wrong?"

"She's been here for a few months," Everyone, with the exception of the Latina, turned to none other than an irritated Trina Vega. "Why wouldn't she be like this seeing you again?"

"Months?" Liam shook his head slowly so that he wouldn't disturb his querida. "That can't be right..."

Trina was about to give the guy a piece of her mind only to be cut off by Jade.

"He's right. Tori and I were taken at the same time, after our..." she swallowed, tasting the bitter reminder of the precise event that led to their abduction. "after our small falling out a couple of days ago."

Once more Trina tried to interject, staring at the two as if they'd lost their minds only to be interrupted once more by her baby sister.

"Trina's right, guy..."

"What?!" both of her lovers yelled out in disbelief.

"Exactly!" Trina finally inserted herself into the conversation while Liam cradled the recovering Tori. "I learned that she was brought here shortly after an incident at school that occurred. You both were in class at the time..."

Checking with her, Tori confirmed the story thus far with a look in her eyes that symbolized embarrassment on multiple levels.

"She was taken here and kept here under the watch of the people who possessed me and..." Trina's eyes shot open in shock and horror. "Mercedes!"

"She'll be fine. She fainted but my mom and sister are watching over her until she wakes up."

"Meanwhile," Jade stood up, finally getting her second wind. "Can we get out of here? I've spent as much time as I'd like to, thank you..."

Murmurs of agreement echoed in the room as everyone followed her lead.

"We can get out through this door and meet up with my family," Liam, carried an emotionally drained Tori on his back as he headed for the corridor. "Then we can get out of here."

"That's the best idea I've heard since arriving here." Trina rubbed her arm awkwardly. "But, what about Beck?"

Stopping dead in his tracks, Liam sighed heavily. "If we run into him, I'll handle it..."

"And what about those other two?" Jade spat out in pure disgust.

His eyes narrowed, dark waves of Bosou's energy threatening to take hold of him again. He was afraid of that question, even more so than the one pertaining to Beck. While one had grown to be a good friend, these two were considered family and thus, had committed the biggest betrayals against him. His frozen body in the doorway for what felt like an eternity for him and yet, he still couldn't come up with a direct answer.

Perhaps, it was because he wasn't sure what he'd do if he ran into them.

"Honestly, I hope we don't run into them," he finally eked out. He then entered the halls, ignoring the horrid scent of death and neglect while trying to put his attention anywhere else but that subject. His heart both ached and raced with the idea of what he would possibly do but, like always, a soft moan from an exhausted Tori snapped him out of his sinister trance. "...For their sakes."

In truth, there was plenty on Liam's mind, a fact that didn't pass either Jade or Trina as they followed the eerily silent young man to the others. They both exchanged a glance at one another, neither willing to bring up more issues that might trigger the young man right now, Trina especially. In her heart, she had a dilemma that troubled her to no end.

She knew one thing though, she would have to confront Liam sometime after all of this was behind them. The two would have to discuss her current feelings and decide on a course of action afterward. This would affect not only them but, also the goth, her sister, and her beloved girlfriend. She shook the thoughts out of her head and kept up with the group; she'll cross that bridge when she arrived. There was only one thing that troubled her now was a simple question:

Could she even cross that bridge when they reach it?

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

 **1\. Alright, 45 chapters (officially) down and possibly five more to go! I can't thank you all enough for simply the recognition of this fanfic. It's not the best by any means, but, it is one of my favorite stories to date. Could it be polished? Absolutely! Have there been moments where things appeared convoluted? You bet! But, this was actually a major step in me becoming an official author. I still have a ways to go before I reach my goal but, this is definitely a good first step for me. Thank you all for the love and support thus far and be on the lookout for the next chapter.**

 **2.** **Now, with hopes of hitting the 50+ chapter mark, I will be utilizing the next few chapters with as much action as I can without crowding everything up in the process. With Jericho destroyed, this leaves Cecilia, Ahrya, & Beck/Ibo Lele for our heroes to deal with. Also, where is Lola in all of this? That will definitely be answered in the next chapter.**

 **3\. Here's a quick recap of everything that's gone on up to this point for this arc.**

 **Jade West: It is confirmed that she had been tortured on both physical and psychological levels. As of now, she is definitely in need of some therapy but, due to her rebellious nature, she can at least say, truthfully, that she is currently able to defend herself if needed.**

 **Tori Vega: For Tori, being held as a prisoner in a seemingly abandoned mental asylum has drained the girl. She's currently resting as Liam, Jade, & Trina travel back to their family and friends.**

 **Lola Martinez: Whereabouts currently unknown ever since she disappeared from the upper level when Celeste freed Tori from the patient's room.**

 **Beck Oliver: Ever since he was possessed by Ibo Lele, Beck's chosen to remain hidden within the building in hopes of getting even with Liam/Bosou for a grudge that's been generations in the making.**

 **Celeste & Lucille: The two are currently tending to an unconscious Mercedes, though it's unclear what role the former will play in the final battles to come.**

 **Cecilia & Ahrya: The mother-daughter duo is also hidden but will definitely be engaging the group for the final showdown. The question remains, why did they do all of this and to what end?**

 **Trina & Mercedes: The former is recovering well from her possession well enough to function normally. Like Jade, Trina's resistance contributed to a swifter purging of the shade's effects after he was destroyed by Bakulu. However, there is another problem with her as she's admitted to still loving Liam after all of this time. Mercedes, on the other hand, is being tended to by Celeste after allowing Jericho's influence to take full control. Once she was transformed into a Chimera, the girl lost her senses until the entity's defeat. It is unknown what her future mental state will be after she is healed.**

 **Jericho: Erased from Existence.**

 **Robbie Shapiro: Currently deceased.**

 **Liam: After rescuing Jade, Liam finds himself fighting off the ever-growing influence of the Loa, Bosou, who wants to settle things with Ibo Lele. To make matters worse, it seems that the closer he gets to succeeding in his mission to rescue Jade & Tori, the harder it becomes for him to suppress that dark power. In truth, he's reaching a crossroad where the wrong choice may cost him everything. **

**4\. Lastly, I would like to mention that once we reach the end, there will be multiple chapters to end "Demons Within". Two are for certain going to be alternative endings (non-canon) while one will be the true ending. In addition, there will be an epilogue that will be connected to the canon ending (probably in the future). If you have any idea of what these 'endings' could be, feel free to share them in the review section.**


	46. Chapter 41

**Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously :**

It was if time had stood still as his heart, mind, and soul were coming to terms with what his vision was showing them.

"Tori?"

She nodded eagerly, unable to hold back her own tears.

"Jade?"

She averted her gaze while tucking her hair behind her ear.

"It's us, Tiger," she pulled him into another quick hug.

Placing a hand on her back, her body shuddered in delight under his touch, momentarily drawing her back to more peaceful times. It took everything in her not to succumb as she bit her lip and forced herself from the safety of his body. Tori, on the other hand, did no such thing and pounced on him. Though, rather than capturing his lips as expected, she instead knelt down, burying her face in his shirt, sobbing silently as the others watched.

"I'm here, Tori..." he stroked her hair softly.

She didn't say anything.

"Mhmm..." she whimpered, coating his shirt with drops of relief and longing.

"Tori? What's wrong?"

"She's been here for a few months," Everyone, with the exception of the Latina, turned to none other than an irritated Trina Vega. "Why wouldn't she be like this seeing you again?"

"Months?" Liam shook his head slowly so that he wouldn't disturb his querida. "That can't be right..."

Trina was about to give the guy a piece of her mind only to be cut off by Jade.

"He's right. Tori and I were taken at the same time, after our..." she swallowed, tasting the bitter reminder of the precise event that led to their abduction. "after our small falling out a couple of days ago."

Once more Trina tried to interject, staring at the two as if they'd lost their minds only to be interrupted once more by her baby sister.

"Trina's right, guy..."

"What?!" both of her lovers yelled out in disbelief.

"Exactly!" Trina finally inserted herself into the conversation while Liam cradled the recovering Tori. "I learned that she was brought here shortly after an incident at school that occurred. You both were in class at the time..."

Checking with her, Tori confirmed the story thus far with a look in her eyes that symbolized embarrassment on multiple levels.

"She was taken here and kept here under the watch of the people who possessed me and..." Trina's eyes shot open in shock and horror. "Mercedes!"

"She'll be fine. She fainted but my mom and sister are watching over her until she wakes up."

"Meanwhile," Jade stood up, finally getting her second wind. "Can we get out of here? I've spent as much time as I'd like to, thank you..."

Murmurs of agreement echoed in the room as everyone followed her lead.

"We can get out through this door and meet up with my family," Liam, carried an emotionally drained Tori on his back as he headed for the corridor. "Then we can get out of here."

"That's the best idea I've heard since arriving here." Trina rubbed her arm awkwardly. "But, what about Beck?"

Stopping dead in his tracks, Liam sighed heavily. "If we run into him, I'll handle it..."

"And what about those other two?" Jade spat out in pure disgust.

His eyes narrowed, dark waves of Bosou's energy threatening to take hold of him again. He was afraid of that question, even more so than the one pertaining to Beck. While one had grown to be a good friend, these two were considered family and thus, had committed the biggest betrayals against him. His frozen body in the doorway for what felt like an eternity for him and yet, he still couldn't come up with a direct answer.

Perhaps, it was because he wasn't sure what he'd do if he ran into them.

"Honestly, I hope we don't run into them," he finally eked out. He then entered the halls, ignoring the horrid scent of death and neglect while trying to put his attention anywhere else but that subject. His heart both ached and raced with the idea of what he would possibly do but, like always, a soft moan from an exhausted Tori snapped him out of his sinister trance. "...For their sakes."

In truth, there was plenty on Liam's mind, a fact that didn't pass either Jade or Trina as they followed the eerily silent young man to the others. They both exchanged a glance at one another, neither willing to bring up more issues that might trigger the young man right now, Trina especially. In her heart, she had a dilemma that troubled her to no end.

She knew one thing though, she would have to confront Liam sometime after all of this was behind them. The two would have to discuss her current feelings and decide on a course of action afterward. This would affect not only them but, also the goth, her sister, and her beloved girlfriend. She shook the thoughts out of her head and kept up with the group; she'll cross that bridge when she arrived. There was only one thing that troubled her now was a simple question:

Could she even cross that bridge when they reach it?

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 41: The Calm...**

 **"Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love."**

 **― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov.**

* * *

Everyone arrived back in the creepy rec room where Celeste and Lucille were.

As they entered, they all would notice several things that would pull their attention.

For Liam, it was the realization that everyone was safe and sound. Trina, who'd been dealing with conflicting feelings during their trek, immediately rushed over to a groggy Mercedes, grateful that her status was at least decent enough to be classified as stable. Jade couldn't resist the smile that stretched her face, that is until she noticed the lone body of Robbie Shapiro lying in the middle of the room while Celeste kneeled over his form.

Upon closer inspection, she noticed the still form of the curly-haired nerd, coupled by the small pool of blood leaking from the moderately sized hole in his chest. The image of his lifeless eyes staring off haunted the normally composed young woman, a point driven harder by the nearly inaudible gasp that escaped her lips. It seemed that, despite being held captive, Jade managed to hold on to her own humanity in the process. She was both surprised and grateful for how far she'd come over the last year.

"What the hell happened?" the voice of her boyfriend snapped her out of her troubling thoughts.

While both expected to hear the words of the older woman, it was actually Lucille who interceded on her mother's behalf, a somber expression adorning her features.

"Bakulu..."

"Wait. You mean that sadistic spirit that I fought back in New Orleans?!"

Celeste nodded silently, still not willing to break her temporary vow of silence. For her, the truth was too much for her to reveal herself. Thankfully, Lucille was more than willing to answer in her mother's stead.

"Yes, mother told me that he came out and defended her while she healed us."

"S-so... he did it through mom's will to protect us?"

"I'm afraid so..."

Guilt began to sour Liam's stomach, forcing him to set the sleeping Tori down gently into Jade's care. He felt like vomiting in his mouth as he too studied the savage hole in Robbie's chest. In his mind, he felt sorrow for the unfortunate end that befell his former roommate.

But why?

Why would he feel anything for the guy beside satisfaction?

Between the implicated sexual torture he'd committed against Jade, and attacking he and his sister, Liam should feel nothing short of relief for the boy's death, right?

Despite the justification, he couldn't bring himself to hold on to whatever hatred lingered inside of his heart.

He wasn't looking at the monster responsible for being an accomplice to many heinous acts.

This was his friend.

He licked his lips, tongue running over the dry surface in frustration before turning to the downtrodden woman mourning the child's lost life. If he didn't already feel bad before, the presence of his mother's dismal aura was more than enough for him to take that helpless sensation to drag him down deeper into the muck.

"Mom,"

She didn't move a muscle.

"Mama?"

She didn't budge.

"Ma, please!"

"Just go away, son..." she finally replied, none too pleased with having to mention the problem. "I don't wish for you to see me like this."

Celeste's dismissive tone cut in her son's very soul, cutting deeper than any natural weapon could ever hope to. The words pierced his heart in ways that no other woman had ever done prior. Even Jade, for all she had done in her own past, figured the elder's response as more excessive, to say the least. Duel faded gems remained locked on the deceased for a few more moments before finally realizing her error.

The immediate silence around the two only intensified her actions.

It wasn't what she said.

It was the instinctual disregard for the boy that made her dread her decision.

The former voodoo priestess turned to her son only to wind up staring into the eyes of not a young man, but that of a small child once again being rejected by his mother. His face was still, no emotion present anywhere. His body was loose and calm, once more hiding any obvious signs of whatever was going on in his mind. There was only one feature that could shatter the blank mask.

"Alexandre?" her voice cracked as she watched emerald glisten with wet drops of hurt; his pain fell freely down his cheeks as he stared back at her. "Please. I'm sorry... I didn't mean what I said."

Seeing the war behind his eyes, Celeste lifted a shaky hand to her child only for him to see that she was truly apologetic. With a hardened heart, he didn't accept this gesture, however, instead choosing to turn and head towards the doorway, leaving her to lament. Nobody dared try to stop him as he passed each of them by. He began to cross the threshold but stopped short when the sounds of clapping hands echoed through the room followed by a horrified gasp.

"Bravo! Bravo!" He turned around only to find everyone doing the same. "I guess you DO have a dark side after all."

To everyone's surprise, it was Trina Vega who was responsible the solo applause, a devious smirk firmly plastered on her lips. Unnoticed by everyone else up to that point she was able to make her way to the vulnerable mother and now had her by the back of the neck as she struggled feebly under her power.

"Trina? What are you doing?!" Jade clenched her fists, enraged at the audacity of the girl's actions.

"You still don't recognize me, Liam?" the older Vega feigned a wounded look, placing a hand on her chest for emphasis.

"What are you talking about?" he growled, sensing something nefarious approaching.

Before their eyes, she waved her free hand allowing a black wave to shroud her body. With a wicked snicker, the figure suddenly reappeared before the group only, she stood in a form that only half of them recognized. No longer was Trina Vega present, instead, the image of her younger sister, Tori stood with a sinister smirk. At least it would be if the real Tori wasn't already next to Jade.

"Who the fuck are you?!" the goth erupted, quickly forgetting the slumbering girl next to her.

"Lola..." Everyone turned their attention to Liam who, compared to the others, kept his gaze the one holding his mother hostage. His jaw clenched, just a tiny fraction of what he was feeling from the girl. There was clearly a demonic aura radiating from the cocky figure across from him and yet, there was something familiar about her as well... almost as if he knew her even more than he'd previously thought.

"You know this girl?" Jade directed her wrath towards her boyfriend with annoyance, causing his face to burn as bright as a tomato.

On cue, Lucille stepped in between the two in an attempt to defuse the situation before it escalated.

"He was tricked into saving her after mistaking her for Tori," she pointed, shooting the goth a glare at the insinuation. "She treated his wounds after the two were nearly burned alive and then they arrived here to save you two. In other words, nothing happened... and I think I've figured out why."

Lola watched intently, silently basking in how easily she could incite a petty squabble between a few of the members. She found it humorous and yet, pathetic all the same.

"You're a sharp one, Lucille..." once more her voice shifted into one all too recognizable to Liam. "...It's no wonder you didn't trust me when we first met."

Liam stood there, frozen in place as his ears told him everything that his mind didn't want to accept. His entire body shivered violently as once more, the image of Lola Martinez melted away, finally giving way to the person's true identity. Long brown hair tied into high-end pigtails flowed down each side of her face, framing it perfectly. Her amethyst eyes shined with a brilliance that contrasted her dark motives.

"Ahrya?" he forced out the softest of whispers, fearing any higher volume would provide her more power.

"Hello, brother..."

Petrified, Liam looked as if he'd seen a ghost. His body refused to cooperate with his mind, wishing this was all a nightmare. Seeing his own flesh and blood act like this, he wasn't so sure of what to do next. Fortunately for him, his sibling stepped in once more on his behalf, none too pleased at the audacity on display.

"He's no brother of yours! ...and let my mother go!" Lucille fired back, her own duel colored gems throwing a frosty gaze towards the girl. "Chienne... **[1]** "

Ahrya turned to her cousin, acknowledging Lucille fully for the first time. "Big talk coming from someone who didn't even know she had one until a few months ago."

The two continued their staring contest, one calm and the other near feral as the silence permeated the atmosphere around them. Then, Ahrya released her grip on the back of the old woman's neck, allowing her to catch her breath in the process, a surprising move to the others.

"What are you up to?" Lucille growled, alternating her gaze between the matriarch and the monster walking past her. "Why are you doing this?"

Ahrya, for her part, parted her lips to speak only to close them just as quickly. In her mind, she saw no reason to explain her actions, no matter how wild and erratic they may appear to be. All that mattered was that she had the attention of the ones intended. This was all going according to the plan; the plan devised and enacted by her newly returned mother, Cecilia.

She watched closely with each step closer to the siblings, not caring about the others around her. Jade and Tori were a mean to an end, a mission that they both fulfilled in spades with the presence of Liam. The only thing now was to pull the trigger on the proverbial gun and claim what she felt she deserved. Without a single word, she pointed her pointer at the still stunned boy she called a sibling for all of her life.

Once more her lips parted, declaring something that was unintelligible to the others.

It was at that moment, time stood still as a stream of light fired from her index digit towards Liam. Celeste and Jade watched as the stream of black energy drew closer to the mahogany-skinned young man.

"Liam/Alexandre!" The two shouted hysterically as a cloud of smoke suddenly erupted around him, shrouding his body from view.

On the other side, Ahrya's form seemed to do the same, disappearing once the smog dissipated. This only left the spot where Liam was, each one impatiently waiting for the haze to fade. To make matters worse, Tori would stir from her impromptu nap, much to Jade's dismay; how was she going to explain this to the Latina?

Warm eyes fluttering accompanied by soft moan only made the goth's heart drop at the task she'd have to do.

"Jade?" she whispered. "Where are we?"

But, she said nothing; there wasn't anything she could say at the moment as she proceeded to stare at the thick dark mist.

'Tiger...' her mind's voice broke at the idea of losing him once again after the short reunion.

Suddenly, the sounds of coughing emerged, drawing everyone's attention. After a few more seconds, it was revealed to be none other than Liam trying to pick himself and expel the noxious gas from his lungs. Relief soon filled Jade's heart but, it was Celeste who'd be the first to rush over to her son, a mother's determination fueling her tired bones. Capturing the boy in a massive hug, she wept silently in gratitude that her child was indeed safe and sound.

"I'm so glad you're alright," she kissed his forehead, not caring if she was embarrassing him. He responded by wrapping an arm around her, pulling her closer but, it was due to something apart from just love and affection.

Sensing this, Celeste immediately pulled away only to see a sunken glance; his eyes fixed on nothing in particular. His face, frozen in a blank expression, twitched just enough to give the others a clue as to what he was thinking.

"Are you alright?" his mother cupped his face, hoping for him to snap out of his stupor.

"Sister..."

"What?"

"Lucille..."

Celeste looked confused but, a few feet away, Jade figured out what had happened.

"She's not here," she noted.

Liam nodded, getting to his feet though he was still a bit shook.

"Alexandre, what happened to Lucille?"

"She... she managed to get in the way of that blast," his shivering grew more violent but he refused to succumb fully to the sensation. "Just before she got hit, she said to escape this place and not to worry about her."

"But, why would...?"

"She said something about settling a score..." he replied, disappointment thinly lacing his words. "But, for now, we need to get out of here..."

"Not me..." another voice caught his ear. "I'm going after Trina first."

"We can help you," Liam offered only to receive a dirty glare, but, unlike what was expected, the look was more due to her shattered pride rather than pure anger.

"Thanks, but, you've helped enough... I'll be fine."

Before anyone could protest further, Mercedes had run back towards the mental holding cells, leaving the others to head off in the opposite direction in search of the two who disappeared.

* * *

She felt weightless, floating in the infinite space that surrounded her. After being hit with the unknown beam, she felt her body being dragged into another world or dimension of some sort. Upon opening her eyes, she confirmed it to be the latter as there was no sight of anything aside from the smooth floor underneath her. With her hair now sprawled all around her head, Lucille gingerly sat up, cautious that she wouldn't aggravate any prior injuries she'd sustained against her... her father; the thought of that reality leaving a rancid taste in her mouth.

"You just have to ruin everything, don't you?" Lucille turned, snapping her head in the direction of the voice. She found the source in the form of an irate Ahrya snarling at her. Her cousin's searing glare forced a chill down Lucille's spine, but she hid it well enough. "It was supposed to be HIM who I grabbed in this world, NOT YOU!"

She watched as the teenager stamped her foot as if she were a toddler throwing a tantrum.

"Sorry to disappoint you," she picked herself up from the cold floor. "But, you won't be getting your way this way, brat..."

A vein began to throb near Ahrya's temple; a sign that didn't go unnoticed by Lucille. In truth, she had caught glimpses of this when they had first met. Whether it was a moment of chastisement or a display of affection, the young bokor would catch subtle shifts in the girl back when she was under the guise of Lola Martinez. Now, she could clearly identify the madness brought on by those methods.

"You just continue to be a thorn in my side," Ahrya, who'd surprisingly managed to regain her composure, tucked dark locks behind her ear. This forced the darker woman to be on her guard but, it was too late. With a sickening grin, she cast black tendrils from underneath the ground, forcing the aforementioned thorn to leap back in an attempt to avoid them. "So, I guess I'll have to just pluck you like the weed you are!"

One by one, the black tails would shoot out and retract like a deranged game of Whack-a-Mole while Lucille did her best to avoid being grabbed by them. Each second passing, she would find fatigue's grasp on her tightening with each step or jump committed. It seemed that with each one she dodged, there would be two more that'd appear nearby, making her have to get a bit more creative with her escape attempt.

"This is my world!" Ahrya taunted, her wicked smirk growing longer by the minute as she savored the sight of her relative running for her life.

Then, without so much as a twitch of a muscle, more tail-like appendages protruded from her lower back, shooting into the ground to claim their prize.

'This isn't good," she growled in her head after narrowly stepping over a tendril that swiped at her ankle. 'I can't keep this up.'

True to her words, Lucille decided that if she was going to go down, she'd do it on the offensive. More of the spectral limbs rushed towards her yet, instead of leaping backward, she rolled under them, making them crash into the others. With her target locked in her sights, she gathered every ounce of energy she had remaining as lunged at the cocky Ahrya. Her own multicolored orbs flickered with rage, no doubt a fragment of what was in store when she'd get her hands around the girl's throat.

Only, it didn't happen...

Mere inches from the insane girl, Lucille would come up short in her goal as several of the cursed appendages would grab each of her limbs. Struggling violently, she could see the glint in her eyes, revealing to her the obvious truth. While on foot, she was just fast enough to maneuver around limbs, she couldn't say the same thing when she left them. Within seconds, the four individual tails would engulf her body making her efforts that much more futile. Soon, she was enveloped in the dark matter leaving only her head exposed.

"That's the difference between us," Ahrya mockingly reproved the grunting woman's helplessness. "You are a poor replacement for me; the story of a long lost sister trying desperately to win the affection of the brother she'd forgotten. How pathetic..."

"Sh-shut up!"

"Face it, you're just trying to use your relation to Liam to cover up the fact of your hidden feelings..."

"N-no...!"

"Oh, I know the story, Lucille! I know how you were so infatuated with him and how you were all over him even despite finding out that he was taken," with each word, each passing syllable uttered, would cut deeper into Lucille's heart and soul. Tears erupted from her eyes. Her heart's lament poured out like tiny shards of rejection and disappointment along the edges of crinkled slits. "Awww, did I strike a nerve? Perhaps, I should just do you a favor and end your miserable existence?"

Tighter and tighter the grip became as Lucille screwed her eyes shut, hoping to block out the ever-increasing pain that was racking throughout her body. This would prove to be in vain, however, as her attempts at distracting herself only opened the doors for her inner turmoil to escape through. Like a cinema, her recent past had now resurfaced for her to witness the shortcomings that led her to this point. The images of that night when she met both Liam & Jade, she was so smitten by the young boy came back in full force, stabbing her heart once more like tiny needles. She was so sure that he was her soulmate and yet, fate had other ideas. While she would later be content with finding out that they were siblings, there was still a part of her that was still stung by the cruel reality of losing out on another potential lover. She wanted to be happy, to have someone who wanted to be theirs and only theirs, but it wasn't to be.

She sought to cry out, both from the physical and emotional pain that wrapped around her like a thorn bush, yet, no sound would pass through her lips.

"Just give up..." she heard the voice that wretched voice again; the voice of her 'father'.

'No...' she moaned.

"Nobody can love you, my daughter."

'Leave me alone.'

"Let go!" the sinister voice grew louder now, demanding she surrenders her life.

'Liam... Mother...'

"She has her true child now," Jericho whispered, slithering deeper into her spirit. "She no longer needs you, the daughter of a bastard."

She felt her body begin to fall limply, a clear indication of her compliance. Slowly, each of her limbs began to droop lifelessly as she felt her consciousness once more fade away. 'Maybe there's no reason for me to keep fighting... I protected him in the end.' During all of this, Ahrya watched with glee as dreadlocked hair fell down, masking Lucille's face from view. 'I'm so tired... I should just rest and let them be happy together.'

"So you're just going to give up?" In her mind, Lucille's eyes shot open at the challenging voice. "After everything you've been through, you're going to let her win?"

Looking up, her drained eyes would rest on the last sight she'd expect to see at this moment.

'Beck?' he nodded, a sad grin settling on his face coupled with a burning gaze.

"Now's not the time to let up!" he called out again, this time with even more vigor than before. "You can beat her, Lucille!"

'But how? How can I defeat someone who's stronger than I am?' she pleaded, droplets threatening to pool up once again. "She has the blood of that demon in her."

To her surprise, he shook his head.

"But, so do you..." his response resonated something in her, silencing her for the time being. "Madame Celeste, YOUR mom, was raped by that monster and she gave birth to you. That means you can do everything Ahrya can do." Try as she may, Beck evidently was correct but, that left one last issue for her to ponder.

'I don't know how to tap into that side of myself, though.'

Despite her distress, the young man's smile never dropped. Instead, he approached her and cupped her cheek in his hand. One could imagine the look of surprise on her face when he leaned in closer. The next thing she felt was soft lips pressed against her forehead, causing her to blush, much to the amusement of Beck.

"Don't fear that dark part of your mind... Everything that pisses you off, let it flow freely and you'll be alright. I promise."

She watched in horror as the image soon began to vanish in a flash of light.

'Beck! Wait!" she screamed telepathically.

"You can do this," he chuckled warmly. "You can save those you care about if you just trust yourself, Lucille."

Back in the outside world, Ahrya had noticed that there was no movement coming from the older woman. This realization made her giggle, as a result, satisfied with her taking out at least one of her obstacles at least. She ceased her squeezing but maintained the grip she had on the corpse as if to admire her handiwork. Depraved thoughts danced in her head as she ogled the still form of the alleged thorn in her side.

"It's a shame..." she licked her lips, sanity dripping from her tongue onto the stained glass below. "Nobody to mourn your death..."

 **"You're wrong."**

Bug-eyed, Ahrya took a step back in shock.

"What the hell?" the words fell out as she watched Lucille's head slowly rise. "You should be dead! I crushed the life out of you!"

She proceeded to focus her power into the tendrils again, only, there was something severely wrong. Although she could feel the dark limbs motions, it appeared that something was blocking her attempt and... had she stopped to notice, loosening her grip. When she finally did look up, she soon noticed several differences in her restrained relative, the most conspicuous being her eyes. Gone were the duel colored gems, leaving only a faintly glowing green-blue shade that unnerved the high school student. Trepidation began to set in her heart as Lucile's full lips twitched upward.

'Just what is going on?!'

 **"You're wrong,"** she repeated, her tone low and husky; practically unrecognizable now. It was a far cry from the sultry and mature voice she previous had, revealing it to have been replaced now by one that'd remind a person of the nine circles of Dante's Inferno. **"You're the one who's going to die..."**

Just as Ahrya was about to give her rebuttal, the energy around Lucille then shattered into thousands of pieces. The force was enough to knock the teen on her ass. She didn't have long to nurse her bruised behind before drawing her attention back towards the... floating woman? Rubbing her eyes, there was no denying that truth as Lucille slowly descended to the floor below. To make matters worse, once her feet touched the floor, Ahrya was greeted by the appearance of a long cyan tail and matching wings that only added to her worries.

But Ahrya wasn't one to falter that easily. She gathered up the remains of her arrogance, donning the mask once more with an unconvincing smirk. From what she could tell, while the cast was certainly changed, those extra appendages were of the same energy as her tendrils.

"Cute," she scoffed feigning a lack of impression. "I don't know how you succeeded in getting this power but..."

 **"You still haven't solved it?"** Lucille resisted the urge to break out in a full laugh. **"Then allow me to spell it out for you, sister."**

'Sister? But that would mean...' Ahrya started nibbling her lip, nearly drawing blood in the process.

She wouldn't be able to interpret the remark any further as, in a matter of seconds, Lucille was upon her with a large fist ready to rain down her fury. Fortunately, she was able to obstruct the attack thanks to her black/purple tail encircling her body in the nick of time.

There was little time to rejoice as another blow came just as quickly only to be deflected by a second tail.

Right. Left. Uppercut. Right hook.

There was barely enough of a window of opportunity for her to exploit and counter. Each strike came swift and without hesitation.

A sudden swipe of the tendrils only wound up hitting air as Lucille simply swayed under the attack only to mirror it with her own though it was caught by the corrupt tailpiece.

"So, I take it you're serious now?" Ahrya muttered through gritted teeth.

 **"Indeed... This ends tonight."**


	47. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously :**

Back in the outside world, Ahrya had noticed that there was no movement coming from the older woman. This realization made her giggle, as a result, satisfied with her taking out at least one of her obstacles at least. She ceased her squeezing but maintained the grip she had on the corpse as if to admire her handiwork. Depraved thoughts danced in her head as she ogled the still form of the alleged thorn in her side.

"It's a shame..." she licked her lips, sanity dripping from her tongue onto the stained glass below. "Nobody to mourn your death..."

 **"You're wrong."**

Bug-eyed, Ahrya took a step back in shock.

"What the hell?" the words fell out as she watched Lucille's head slowly rise. "You should be dead! I crushed the life out of you!"

She proceeded to focus her power into the tendrils again, only, there was something severely wrong. Although she could feel the dark limbs motions, it appeared that something was blocking her attempt and... had she stopped to notice, loosening her grip. When she finally did look up, she soon noticed several differences in her restrained relative, the most conspicuous being her eyes. Gone were the duel colored gems, leaving only a faintly glowing green-blue shade that unnerved the high school student. Trepidation began to set in her heart as Lucile's full lips twitched upward.

'Just what is going on?!'

 **"You're wrong,"** she repeated, her tone low and husky; practically unrecognizable now. It was a far cry from the sultry and mature voice she previous had, revealing it to have been replaced now by one that'd remind a person of the nine circles of Dante's Inferno. **"You're the one who's going to die..."**

Just as Ahrya was about to give her rebuttal, the energy around Lucille then shattered into thousands of pieces. The force was enough to knock the teen on her ass. She didn't have long to nurse her bruised behind before drawing her attention back towards the... floating woman? Rubbing her eyes, there was no denying that truth as Lucille slowly descended to the floor below. To make matters worse, once her feet touched the floor, Ahrya was greeted by the appearance of a long cyan tail and matching wings that only added to her worries.

But Ahrya wasn't one to falter that easily. She gathered up the remains of her arrogance, donning the mask once more with an unconvincing smirk. From what she could tell, while the cast was certainly changed, those extra appendages were of the same energy as her tendrils.

"Cute," she scoffed feigning a lack of impression. "I don't know how you succeeded in getting this power but..."

 **"You still haven't solved it?"** Lucille resisted the urge to break out in a full laugh. **"Then allow me to spell it out for you, sister."**

'Sister? But that would mean...' Ahrya started nibbling her lip, nearly drawing blood in the process.

She wouldn't be able to interpret the remark any further as, in a matter of seconds, Lucille was upon her with a large fist ready to rain down her fury. Fortunately, she was able to obstruct the attack thanks to her black/purple tail encircling her body in the nick of time.

There was little time to rejoice as another blow came just as quickly only to be deflected by a second tail.

Right. Left. Uppercut. Right hook.

There was barely enough of a window of opportunity for her to exploit and counter. Each strike came swift and without hesitation.

A sudden swipe of the tendrils only wound up hitting air as Lucille simply swayed under the attack only to mirror it with her own though it was caught by the corrupt tailpiece.

"So, I take it you're serious now?" Ahrya muttered through gritted teeth.

 **"Indeed... This ends tonight."**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 42: ...Before...**

 **"The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself."**

 **― C. JoyBell C.**

* * *

Two pairs of eyes locked onto one another; a damning silence pressing all around them without mercy.

Behind them, retribution challenging arrogance, the two stood with unwavering resolve.

However, it was Lucille who had the clear advantage.

Try as she may, there was no emotional signal that could be exploited by Ahrya who only succeeded in triggering one of her anxiety episodes. She shook just slightly just enough where only someone with a keen eye would notice; the dark-skinned bokor fitting that description perfectly.

"Why don't you just give up?" she growled, failing in her attempt at asserting dominance. "Just let me have him and I won't hurt you..."

The desperation literally coated Ahrya like a cold sweat, the intoxicating scent literally flowing in the air around them. Even still, Lucille's lips didn't part.

"Cat got your tongue?" the blatant fear devoid this time.

The corner of her lips twitched repeatedly as if contemplating whether or not to follow through with the attempted grin.

Still, the woman didn't so much as blink at the taunt.

"You're sick..." She finally answered in her own voice, her tone now soft yet, cut deep into her younger kin's heart.

"What?" a perfectly arched eyebrow lifted.

"You heard me clearly," Lucille deadpanned, folding her arms under her large breasts. "You're so hell-bent on winning that you still haven't even realized what you're losing in the process."

"..."

Sighing, Lucille shook her head before continuing; irritation adorning her face like a veil.

"You've been blinded by jealousy for so long that you never stopped to give account for what you possess. You were willing to kidnap Jade and Tori simply so you could get Liam for yourself, knowing full well that he's your brother, NOT your lover. In fact, not only were you so wrapped up with that, you failed to realize that you were also pursuing a young man who has no interest in you romantically while either ignoring or manipulating the one person willing to cross the ocean for you," seeing the twisted frown, Lucille hardened her glare as to be daring the girl to interrupt her. "Yes, I'm referring to Beck and the Robbie boy..."

"Shut up!" she roared, her unstable emotions now in full control.

"Did you even love him?" her tone remained contained, a sheer contrast of the foaming girl standing on a few feet from her. "Did you even care about the times when he stood on your behalf or tried to defend what he believed to be your honor?"

"You don't know ANYTHING!" Ahrya's eyes began to glow a faint shade of purple, warning her that she was on thin ice now, and it was getting thinner by the second. Surprisingly, her eyes lowered to the ground, almost ashamed at the truth behind the accusations charged against her. "I- I loved Robbie... He just..."

"Just what?!" this outburst shook her from her mental turmoil, forcing her to look at her now fuming relative. "Are you going to say that he was good enough until you saw a chance with Beck? Or maybe, you were hoping for a chance to break things if HE was willing to give your spoiled ass the attention you think you deserve?! Face it, you're just a brat with a sick fetish for those you can't have and incest."

That was the final straw.

Without another word, Ahrya flared her power and charged at blinding speeds towards the woman, fully intent on shutting her mouth permanently.

Every step she took, her rage steadily crept from the tendrils until her entire form was shrouded in the dark energy, giving her the appearance of a hellhound. Taking this sudden transformation into account, Lucille calmly stepped back to avoid the first strike. With sharpened claws, Ahrya began her swiping barrage, wildly swinging the enchanted limbs in all directions.

Left. Right. Up. Down. Horizontal. Diagonal. There was no direction missed.

 **"I'll rip your flesh from your bones, bitch!"**

"I seriously doubt that..." Lucille continued to duck and dodge the attacks with relative ease, despite the chaotic nature of them. To anyone less perceptive, those evil talons would've sliced them cleanly into cold cuts. However, in the case of the much more confident woman before her, this was child's play. While barely adept in hand to hand combat, Lucille was trained to keep all of her senses sharp which made her evasive maneuvers that much more impressive, or in this case, annoying for the feral girl. "You can't even hit me..."

This only served to stoke the fires of rage from inside of Ahrya as she quickened her swipes only to find herself still incapable of hitting her target.

 **"Stand still, and let me cut you to ribbons!"** Venom leaked from her lips. **"He was my brother first!"**

Covering the distance, the smoldering entity managed to get into range of Lucille's neck only to wind up on the receiving end of a bone-jarring spinning elbow. Twisting on her heel, Ahrya decided to give up on her initial line of attack.

It was getting her nowhere anyway.

 **"Dammit..."** she seethed, rubbing the sore spot on her jaw; luckily the spectral shroud around her also served as a protective shell.

"Please stop this..." She once more turned her attention to her family. "You'll never get anywhere running from your problems."

 **"Sounds to me like you're already giving up..."** Ahrya spat, still trying to gather her second wind.

Lucille just shook her head.

It was evident that she wasn't going to listen to reason so long as she was still standing.

With a quick glance at her own aura shell, she inhaled deeply then took a battle stance. For the monster form in front of her, she was going to end things right here and now.

"There's no need in dragging this out," she whispered with a single tear escaping its orbital prison. Before having a chance to inquire about the woman's statement, Ahrya observed the cyan energy began to disappear from all around her, settling into her left fist. Slowly, the power that once protected her would now become an offensive force. "I need to get back to the others. I promised I'd be back..."

A black and purple ear twitched in amusement, followed by a cackle that echoed throughout the dimensional void.

 **"You're going to end it in one shot?!"** her jagged fangs parted, allowing her to release a full out laugh. **"What kind of anime bullshit are you trying to pull?"**

"I wouldn't expect you to understand..." she narrowed her eyes, focusing the last remnants of her power.

Ahrya, after wasting time in her teasing, finally noticed the immense spiritual pressure rising. Soon, the force was enough to shake the fragile floor underneath, breaking fragments from the glass material and causing them to rise. 'So, she's serious...' she concluded with a nervous frown. With there being no other option, she kneeled down slowly, planting her feet on the ground still intact, ignoring the rumbling all over.

Brows furrowed, she dug her dark feet further before launching herself at break-neck speeds.

If this was going to be a showdown, she was going to be the faster one and take her out before she could finish the job. To increase her chances of victory, she started zig-zagging like a pinball to throw of the bokor's visual. In a matter of seconds, she'd cover the distance with relative ease, savoring the shocked expression that flashed on her prey's face.

 **"You're mine!"** She licked her lips hungrily. **"No escape!"**

"Pathetic."

Those words were the last thing she heard before realizing her mistake; her grave mistake.

Like glass, she began to witness all five of her senses being taken over by the laws of nature.

Her eyes watched as the dimension she herself summoned crumbled into nothing.

Her nose picked up the scent of death, not her own, but someone or something else nearby.

As she fell to the ground, her body couldn't help but flinch at the sudden rush of pain coursing all throughout her petite frame.

The bitter taste of copper filled her mouth, forcing her to gag slightly as she realized what it was.

Finally, there came her hearing, ears deafened by her scream from the combination of the wound inflicted and the last thing she'd expected to land next to.

Robbie Shapiro's corpse.

The horror behind her scream made even the hardened Lucille cringe once she laid eyes on the body herself; truly life could be a cruel mistress. She soon ripped her gaze from that sickening image, doing her best to keep her gaze firmly on the traumatized girl futilely trying to crawl away from the deceased.

"Come here..." damning her good nature, she used just enough strength to pull the poor girl a good distance from the terrible sight.

The bright lights of the recreations room soon revealed the extent of the damage caused just moments ago.

"H-how...?" she whispered/whimpered while clutching her side. "I should've hit you first! I was faster!"

"Were you really?" Amidst her sobbing, Ahrya would find herself staring into the duel-colored orbs of the woman who defeated her, intent on figuring out how it happened. Gone was the reinforced intent to destroy, replaced now by an empathetic tone. "Or did you think you were?"

"What are you talking about?" she grits her teeth when another surge shot through her.

As expected, Lucille began to explain.

 **Flashback-Moments earlier**

 **"You're mine!"** She licked her lips hungrily. **"No escape!"**

A wild and unfocused Ahrya, swiped her massive claws at the figure only to go right through it. She tried to process what had happened only to feel something piercing her side. In mere seconds, she saw Lucille appear before her, those cold cyan eyes tearing into her very soul. At that moment, she could swear that her life was flashing in front of her. From the early days of her relationship with Robbie to the moment her mother FORMALLY appeared to her shortly after the group returned from the trip to New Orleans.

Her mind soon shifted further back to her past, specifically the Halloween Party.

That night, she only wanted to entrance either Liam or Beck and steal a forbidden kiss with one of them only to become possessed by the spirit of a succubus. While she did succeed in capturing both of the boys, she was powerless to stop the demon's insatiable desire for her brother... or rather cousin? Instead, she would take the ever handsome Beck as her own albeit without his knowledge and consent until after the deed was done.

Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she had to accept the reality: She'd cheated on Robbie that night and used that as the launching point for her affair with Beck. She was vindictive towards Jade and, to a lesser extent, Tori, due to her own shameful need to hold on to Liam instead of trusting the curly haired boy she'd helped all of those years ago; the same boy who would do anything for her after that, both as a friend and a lover.

Closing her eyes, there was only one word to describe

"Pathetic..." Those words came from her own lips just prior to her unceremonious descent to the cold floor.

 **Flashback End**

Using her free hand, Ahrya clutched her head, haunted by the destructive path she'd been on and all those affected by her decisions as a result.

"What you hit was an after image that I conjured long before you made your attack." Lucille sighed, seeing for the first time, remorse cross the girl's face. "I wasn't sure if you would attack me before I was able to finish gathering the energy so I created it while you were laughing as a form of insurance."

Nodding, she remained silent.

"I wish things didn't have to end up like it did..." she sincerely apologized.

Ahrya chocked, still stinging from all of the events that played out. "I thought you were going to kill me?"

The harshness of the girl's voice, this time, wasn't directed towards Lucille but rather, her own failures. If she had been paying attention, she would've seen the large vein popping out of the latter's forehead. Unfortunately, due to her missing this threatening sign, she was greeted by a stone-like hand cracking against her cheek. In typical nature, she turned back with a fury that swiftly died down when she saw the formidable glare of the older woman.

"Still clinging to that ridiculous claim?"

"I would've killed you if not for that cheap trick like I was taught." she huffed only to be grabbed by her shirt collar.

"Are you that stupid?!" she growled, challenging the teen to utter another word. "After all that has happened, are you still clinging to our father's belief's?"

Instead of being defensive, Ahrya stared back in confusion. "Our father?"

"Yes... OUR father, you brat."

For the first time since meeting each other, Lucille let out a breath she hadn't noticed she'd been holding all of this time.

"We have a lot to talk about later..." a faint smile crossed the bokor's lips. "But first, let's get you fixed up and meet with the others, sœur."

* * *

Her body ached but she persisted deeper into down the long winding corridor.

"Where are you?" Mercedes groaned after running past another empty cell with no succession. She was beginning to lose hope...

"Hello?"

The soft, near inaudible voice, stopped the pixie-haired woman in her tracks. Turning her head, she cautiously took a few more steps.

"Is somebody there?" she heard the person again, this time more clearly. "Please let me out!"

"Amante?" she called back out.

"Mercedes!" she heard her girlfriend reply.

She scanned the area before finally coming to a sealed door where, after peering in the window section, she found the object of her affection. Without another word, Mercedes began punching in several numbers only to result in the passcodes coming back wrong each time.

Her heart racing, Trina looked on desperately as the frustration began to settle on the shoulders of her beloved.

After much analyzing, Mercedes could feel a migraine coming on. It appeared that she had exhausted all of her options and slammed her fist on the door.

"Maldita sea!" she erupted, instantly regretting her brashness as her knuckles pounded with a dull pain.

She rubbed her fist only to hear an eerie creaking sound. Looking up, she found the door opening, allowing entry or exit, the latter being the viable choice as Trina stepped out with a relieved grin. Before any words could be spoken, the brunette rushed Mercedes and planted a hard kiss on her lips, not caring about the immediate surroundings. The intensity of her love for the woman poured out in that one gesture: Gratitude.

Time, however, was not a friend and Mercedes was wise to remember that truth.

"Trina..." she muttered before being smothered with affection. "TRINA!"

Her second attempt managed to get through to the older Vega sibling who sat up, straddling her now serious significant other.

"What?" she tilted her head innocently.

"We need to get out of here," she cut her eyes to the way back. "This place and the people in it give me the creeps. Everyone's leaving this insane asylum and we should too before we lose our minds."

Pouting, Trina nodded and removed herself from the prone Mercedes and helped her to her feet. "You're right. We should get out of this place but," she grabbed her lover by the collar of her leather jacket, stealing peck. "We have a couple of things that we need to talk about later," she whispered.

Mercedes was then released, her eyes locked on the swaying ass of Trina Vega before shaking the naughty thoughts from her mind.

"So glad that I'm not a guy..." she smirked playfully before starting after her.

* * *

As time moved forward, Liam and the others pushed onward, albeit reluctant to do so, up the staircase that truly started his journey. In his mind, he was going to need a lot of therapy in order to get himself back on track. In one night, he'd see the corpse of his former roommate and friend, witness his sister sacrifice herself to battle his other 'sister' who was partly responsible for all of this happening. Now, with both Tori and Jade rescued, he wanted nothing more than to escape this hell without any other issues arising. He froze, trying his best to look like he was scouting for the right path to freedom.

Sadly, life didn't work that way for him.

They were so close, and that only meant that something bad was about to happen.

It always did.

Why should this time be any different?

The group arrived on the main floor, greeted by the flickering lights of the dull and creepy hallways. Celeste would be the one to notice the troubled aura exuding from her son. Concluding the reason for his hesitation, she gently motioned for both Jade & Tori to comfort him. Silently, they understood the woman's reasoning.

The latter took a few steps and hugged him from behind with the former mirroring her actions, only from the front.

"What's gotten into you two?" he chuckled nervously.

He was met with a strong glare that told him to cut the act; he hated how well Jade could read him sometimes.

"Liam," his querida's voice made his heart skip a beat. "You don't have to deal with this all on your own. Please, don't push us out..."

While Celeste was unsure of the implication being made, her son knew all too well what Tori was referring to. "Yerba..." he whispered as softly as he could, afraid that his past would come back from the dead to finish him off. Nodding, he got his answer right as Jade West cupped her hands, her soft ivory palms, around his face.

"You were tortured by that animal and tried to pretend that nothing had happened."

"I was trying to be strong..."

"You were being an ass!" she cut him off, tears brimming her lids. "You didn't trust us enough to tell us that you were hurt and you're doing the same."

"I'm sorry..." he lowered his head, looking more like a scolded child than a heroic savior. "I'm just afraid. I don't want to lose you two again..."

"And you won't."

"But..."

"But nothing! If that bitch wants to try and take us again, she'll be in for a surprise."

Seeing Jade's confident smirk seemed to put the young man at ease, just in time to hear footsteps approaching their location. As expected, the two girls huddled closer to Celeste while Liam readied himself for whatever was coming. Sure, he was still a bit nervous, but knowing that both the three were able to defend themselves did enough to restore quite of bit of his confidence.

 _You feel that don't you?_ Bosou piped up.

'Yeah, it's gotta be him.'

 _I know you'd rather avoid this... but are you prepared to face him?_

'I don't have much of a choice,' a bead of sweat fell upon his brow. 'I'll do whatever to protect them.'

 _Truly noble... Just let me take over and I'll finish Ibo Lele._

'What about Beck?' Bosou remained silent making him roll his eyes. 'Of course.'

The time for talking was over as none other than Beck or, rather Ibo Lele in Beck's body stepped around the corner, with a devilish grin plastered on his face. His eyes were a pale golden hue which only unnerved the other's even more than his demonic aura. Liam appeared to be the only one unaffected by the sinister display of power.

"Well, well, well... It looks like your quest is complete, doesn't it?" the smooth tone of voice of Beck's perfectly contrasted the near-maniacal stare. "I must say, I'm surprised it took you this long to return. Were you trying to avoid me?" he feigned offense, placing a hand over his heart.

"And miss out on all of the fun of kicking your ass? Not a chance."

"Ohohoho! Tough guy," the sarcasm dripped from him like a leaky faucet. "I'm assuming you've made peace with your loved ones?"

Nothing was said, catching even the deity off guard momentarily.

"...Or is it that you actually believe you can win?"

"Is that so farfetched?"

"Of course... Especially since Bosou's never defeated me in one on one combat." This was truly alarming to hear as Liam looked down, inwardly hoping that his glare was on the Loa who remained silent. If they survived this, he was going to give the spirit a piece of his mind; despite not seeing him, he could feel the warrior within him shrink slightly at the claim made.

'It must be true then...' he surmised, daring Bosou to object.

As if reading his mind, Ibo continued, savoring the embarrassing scenario playing out. "To be fair, he's never beaten me without some type of technicality. Whether it was time or a cheap trick, he's never beaten me under his own power. That's why I'm taking this time to challenge him, only, we'll be in a place where there are no excuses."

The situation was getting out of hand but there was no clear way out for Liam and the ladies that he could see. There were so many unanswered questions he had now, but, there was one that stood out above the rest.

"I hope you're ready for your final resting place."

"Wait!"

"What?"

"I have two things I want to ask before we do this."

For once, Beck's face scowled. "Fine, but if this is a trick, I'll destroy you all right now."

"That's exactly the first thing I want to ask you." Ibo Lele raised an eyebrow. "Can you allow everyone else to leave?"

Skepticism flashed behind those fiery orbs, assessing the boy's demeanor for any sign of a trick.

"No! Liam, we're not going anywhere!" Jade's voice boomed from behind him. "Stop being a macho man and let us be there for you!"

"It looks like the lady has spoken," the pyro wielding Loa chuckled before eyeing both Celeste & Tori. "Do you both share her sentiments?"

They nodded, much to Liam's annoyance.

'I was hoping you'd say that,' he grinned darkly. "Well, that was a wasted question. Now, what is your second question?"

Sighing heavily, Liam shook his head. Rather than challenging the protests, he felt it would be best not to add to his list of enemies right now. It didn't make things any better that he was being taunted by the person he was about to fight, possibly for his life.

"My second question," he licked his lips hesitantly. "where is your master, Cecilia?"

Ibo Lele let out a hearty laugh, even going as far as to wipe an imaginary tear before straightening out once more.

"How about I just show you?"

Liam was ready to ask what he meant when the possessed boy pointed up. Before he could react, he tried to warn the girls to run only to find himself, Jade, Tori, & Celeste being swallowed by a vortex. There was nothing but torturous screams and wails as the four were at the mercy of the portal's intended journey for them. The shrieks were enough to drive one mad, but, they wouldn't be inside for too long as they landed on what felt like hard concrete.

Groaning, the small group would feel the cool air kissing their skins, making Celeste shiver a bit.

"Welcome to our battleground!" 'Beck' announced with glee, pointing behind them. "...and there's our first guest of honor."

Turning around, there was none other than Cecilia wrapped to a steel antenna from mouth to toe, revealing that she was an unwilling participant. Once more, Liam was going to demand answers, only to find that Jade, Tori, and his mother had disappeared.

"What the hell is going on?!" he bared his canines. "Where are they, Beck!"

"Relax, there safely out of the way."

With the snap of his fingers, the three ladies were now in the same predicament as Cecilia. Magically held to the other beams on the corners of the building, they were secured by the same wraps that imprisoned the former mastermind until they too were forced to silently watch. No sooner was that done, the entire night sky began to crack with lightning and the sound of thunder closely following.

"You'll kill them! They'll be electrocuted, you monster!" he yelled only to earn himself a swift knee to the solar plex that sent him careening against the ground.

 **"Calm yourself, boy."** Ibo Lele responded offhandedly. **"They're too valuable to let that happen. They are too crucial for the spell to take place."**

Liam clutched at his chest, dragging himself to his knees. "What spell?"

 **"The spell for our battleground!"** a clear barrier slithered around the entirety of the property, much to the crazed male's delight. **"This is a private fight and I want no interruptions. To anybody that may pass by, this place will be well hidden from the eyes of anyone who's not inside the barrier. In other words, we can go nuts without you using anyone or anything as an excuse."**

"You're crazy!"

 **"Oh? Would you prefer that I kill them now?"** The sudden tense reaction from the boy made him want to laugh again, though he resisted it this time. **"Or maybe I should show them what it means to be with a real beast in bed? I think the Latina would do nicely to start."**

 **"SHUT. THE FUCK. UP!"**

No longer was he contained as unbridled power began to swell from his soul. Ibo Lele watched from the inside of the vessel he occupied, eager to have his long-awaited revenge. Centuries of forced patience could now be unleashed with little consequence as he beheld the sight of green energy appearing around the teenage boy, only, this wasn't the usual emerald hue but rather, it was a much dark shade that engulfed him.

The sky soon responded to his eruption of rage with a torrent of rain that coated his hunched form. Emerald eyes glowed with bloodlust as his locs hung over his face, giving him a more primal appearance.

Sensing no more apprehension, the fiery Loa chose to take the initiative and launched a massive fireball that quickly engulfed Liam's body despite the water surrounding them on all sides. Terror filled the eyes of the four captives who watched as the shadowed form of Liam dropped to his knees, letting out a howl of pain that echoed into the night.

"Is that all you got?" Ibo asked using Beck's voice once more, a look of disappointment resting on his face. "All of that bravado and it's over already..."

 **"You're mistaken..."** the demonic tone caught the Loa's attention.

In an instant, the enlarged ball of flames exploded revealing a pissed off Liam smirking. His clothes were burned off except the remains of his grey t-shirt that clung to one of his drenched shoulders.

"Good. I was worried that you'd gotten soft after all of these centuries..."

There was an abnormal silence that, admittedly triggered something unsettling from the deepest parts of his heart. To make matters worse, he was now grinning like the cat that ate the canary.

"What the hell is so funny?" Ibo demanded.

 **"I was just wondering, while I was in that weak ass attack,"** he licked a charred part of his arm, temporarily sating the burn. **"Just how I want your corpse."**


	48. Chapter 43

**Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously :**

"Welcome to our battleground!" 'Beck' announced with glee, pointing behind them. "...and there's our first guest of honor."

Turning around, there was none other than Cecilia wrapped to a steel antenna from mouth to toe, revealing that she was an unwilling participant. Once more, Liam was going to demand answers, only to find that Jade, Tori, and his mother had disappeared.

"What the hell is going on?!" he bared his canines. "Where are they, Beck!"

"Relax, there safely out of the way."

With the snap of his fingers, the three ladies were now in the same predicament as Cecilia. Magically held to the other beams on the corners of the building, they were secured by the same wraps that imprisoned the former mastermind until they too were forced to silently watch. No sooner was that done, the entire night sky began to crack with lightning and the sound of thunder closely following.

"You'll kill them! They'll be electrocuted, you monster!" he yelled only to earn himself a swift knee to the solar plex that sent him careening against the ground.

 **"Calm yourself, boy."** Ibo Lele responded offhandedly. **"They're too valuable to let that happen. They are too crucial for the spell to take place."**

Liam clutched at his chest, dragging himself to his knees. "What spell?"

 **"The spell for our battleground!"** a clear barrier slithered around the entirety of the property, much to the crazed male's delight. **"This is a private fight and I want no interruptions. To anybody that may pass by, this place will be well hidden from the eyes of anyone who's not inside the barrier. In other words, we can go nuts without you using anyone or anything as an excuse."**

"You're crazy!"

 **"Oh? Would you prefer that I kill them now?"** The sudden tense reaction from the boy made him want to laugh again, though he resisted it this time. **"Or maybe I should show them what it means to be with a real beast in bed? I think the Latina would do nicely to start."**

 **"SHUT. THE FUCK. UP!"**

No longer was he contained as unbridled power began to swell from his soul. Ibo Lele watched from the inside of the vessel he occupied, eager to have his long-awaited revenge. Centuries of forced patience could now be unleashed with little consequence as he beheld the sight of green energy appearing around the teenage boy, only, this wasn't the usual emerald hue but rather, it was a much dark shade that engulfed him.

The sky soon responded to his eruption of rage with a torrent of rain that coated his hunched form. Emerald eyes glowed with bloodlust as his locs hung over his face, giving him a more primal appearance.

Sensing no more apprehension, the fiery Loa chose to take the initiative and launched a massive fireball that quickly engulfed Liam's body despite the water surrounding them on all sides. Terror filled the eyes of the four captives who watched as the shadowed form of Liam dropped to his knees, letting out a howl of pain that echoed into the night.

"Is that all you got?" Ibo asked using Beck's voice once more, a look of disappointment resting on his face. "All of that bravado and it's over already..."

 **"You're mistaken..."** the demonic tone caught the Loa's attention.

In an instant, the enlarged ball of flames exploded revealing a pissed off Liam smirking. His clothes were burned off except the remains of his grey t-shirt that clung to one of his drenched shoulders.

"Good. I was worried that you'd gotten soft after all of these centuries..."

There was an abnormal silence that, admittedly triggered something unsettling from the deepest parts of his heart. To make matters worse, he was now grinning like the cat that ate the canary.

"What the hell is so funny?" Ibo demanded.

 **"I was just wondering, while I was in that weak ass attack,"** he licked a charred part of his arm, temporarily sating the burn. **"Just how I want your corpse."**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 43: ...The Storm**

 **"The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself."**

 **― C. JoyBell C.**

* * *

The sky above flickered with streaks of brilliance, bathing the world below in a faint glow with each flash. The thunder soon followed its silent predecessor with an intense rumbling that resonated throughout the property. The sounds of nature echoed over time while warm wet drops descended on the two opponents, neither willing to back down from the other.

On one side, stood the ever arrogant Ibo Lele housed in the vessel known to everyone as Beck.

On the other end, a hunched over Liam snarled at the cocky figure before him.

Eyes locked, they both remained perfectly still, neither willing to make the first move; it was clear that they were calculating their next move precisely.

Cold droplets coated fair and dark skin respectively, creating the only immediate restricting force to the smoldering emotions swirling internally. From the four ends of the battle stage, the captive audience watched, silent and helpless as monstrous pressure continued to well up around them, threatening to suffocate them with the immense thickness.

Out of the four, it was Jade who watched with the most concern in her eyes.

While Cecilia and Tori could argue that notion, in her heart, she knew in her heart that she had no equal in this department. The dark green aura pulsated around her boyfriend's form, his eyes shining with a hatred that she'd only seen once before; the day of their first encounter. While on that day she was taken aback at the viciousness behind those emerald pools, this was something on a completely different level. Now, she was witnessing the full emergence of the monster that lurked within the darkest crevices of his soul.

Beck, growing tired of the stalemate, let out a whistle as a sign of 'respect' of the power of Bosou's spirit. "I must say, you are indeed as strong as I remember..."

The feral Liam took that moment to strike. Moving at blinding speeds, he managed to slip just out of the young man's line of sight, appearing behind him, poised to strike.

 **"It's over..."** he bellowed.

He swung his fist down only to have it phase through Beck, forcing him to land on the ground due to gravity. Before he could process what happened, he felt something connect with his midsection, forcing him to howl from the sharp pain.

"Tsk, tsk..." he heard from his left side. "I thought we were better than that. After all of this time, you still haven't learned battle strategy, huh?"

Feeling his breath hitch in his throat, the empowered teen lashed out once more. He tried to his best to ignore the pain in his side, swiping at his opponent wildly. Unpredictability on his side, he used every part of his body capable to inflict some form of contact, but, he just couldn't seem to hit his target.

 **"Stop running and fight me like a man, coward!"**

To his surprise, Beck did just what was demanded of him; he stopped despite the incoming punch sailing towards his face.

The fist, filled with rage and vengeance, connected.

Satisfaction began to grow inside of Liam only, he picked up that something was wrong.

His suspicions would prove to be correct when, despite being hit square in the mouth, it looked to have little or no effect. Not only that but, Beck had begun to laugh in response. 'This doesn't make any sense...' he stared back, wide-eyed.

"Is that it?" the fiery-eyed boy's muffled voice managed to get out. "Or are you ready to stop wasting my time?"

 **"What?!"**

Beck clutched the energy shrouded limb, pulling it away without much difficulty in spite of Liam's own force pushing against him.

"Like I said, either you show me your true power," his grin swiftly morphed into one of annoyance, gripping his wrist even tighter making him wince. "or stop wasting my time and **DIE!** "

Once again, Liam watched as flames began to flicker in his opponent's palms, gritting his fangs from the searing heat. He had little time to react aside from finally ripping his hand away. Before he knew it, he was again launched back, this time into the invisible wall that prevented him from being tossed over the side of the Asylum.

Bone crunching agony met him as he landed on his side.

While struggling to his feet, a sound caught his ears, pulling him from his own strife.

A whimper.

His eyes enlarged when he found the source; Tori. From the look of things, she was in pain. Expectedly, he turned only to find his own mother in similar shape.

The question was, why?

"Have you figured it out yet?" he turned his attention back to the possessed pretty boy. "It's not that hard. Even you should have enough brain cells to pick this one up, Bosou."

"What did you do?!" this time, Liam himself spoke up, his voice filled with desperation and anger.

'It seems he still doesn't have full control,' he surmised. "What I mean, boy, is that the walls around us are to keep one from running, but there's a secret for summoning it. The Walls of Ithuri can only be used when there are four sacrifices to sustain its presence."

"Sacrifices?" he let out a whispered oozing with dread at the haunting realization.

"That's right, child. The life forces of four whom possess the strongest connections to one's opponent must be given as tribute so that it can be fully summoned." Beck took notice of the trepidation behind his friend's orbs, taking his silence as the invitation to continue. "So long as the wall remains intact, their lives are in no jeopardy. However, in case you haven't noticed, any and everytime someone makes contact with it, the two designated to hold it up will experience a deal of pain based on the amount of force inflicted on it."

Looking between his mother, other girlfriends, and even his aunt, Liam could feel his heartbeat in his core.

"Why are you doing this?" managed to stand on his own feet, albeit clutching his [thankfully unbroken] sore ribs. "Why go to all of this just to get your revenge on someone for centuries ago?!"

Beck, or rather Ibo Lele, rolled his eyes. He didn't want to go into a detailed explanation, mainly because it would give his prey more time to recover.

"It's simple..." he huffed. "Bosou took what was mine and now, he must pay."

"So you possess my friend and kidnap my family and loved ones just to get to me?"

"If it means anything, I wouldn't have done all of this if he was inside of someone else."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Take it how you will, kid."

Clenching his fists, Liam did his best to hide the nearly uncontrollable rage surging throughout his body. Based on what he was hearing, this had nothing to do with him or anyone else involved, which meant that everyone was innocent.

Everyone, except Bosou.

In his mind, the spirit was completely to blame for the sudden increase of misfortunes that had occurred over the past several months. From him being captured and attacked by his uncle and aunt, nearly murdering his own mother, and even the kidnapping of Jade & Tori... it was all because of this damn spirit residing inside of him, the very spirit that was put inside of him back in New Orleans as a means to strip him of some royal title that he never knew anything about, to begin with. Now, here he was, struggling to fight another spirit that wanted vengeance for something that happened, possibly, centuries before he was even born...

...This must be what madness feels like...

 _What are you thinking?_ The spirit finally announced his presence, although with clear hesitation.

'I have an idea...' he replied coldly.

"Now, let's get back to me killing you." Beck sneered.

"Is there no other way to end this without anyone dying?" he shook his head, emphatically.

"If you want to rescue these four, you'll have to defeat me or make me recant the spell I used to put it up."

"What if I can make a trade?" Ibo Lele's interest was piqued now, a good sign. "Is there a way for me to give you Bosou's spirit without any of my friends and family getting hurt anymore?"

 _WHAT?!_ You damned brat! Bosou roared in outrage only to be tuned out by his host.

Befuddled, Ibo/Beck's lips twitched upward until he was forced to succumb to the tickle in his throat, erupting into a sharp laugh of pure amusement. To him, this was the most priceless joke he'd ever heard in all of his existence. Was this human, the offspring of two of the strongest bokors, actually willing to part with one of the most well known and, arguably, strongest Loa this easily?

Wiping away a tear, he looked at the stone-faced Liam, drenched in rain and studied him further. From head to toe, he was covered in some sort of bruise or cut, a testament of the battles endured earlier. From what he could tell, there was no sign of dishonesty to be found in the teen.

"You're serious?" he asked, tilting his head in skepticism.

Liam nodded, once more ignoring the incoherent ranting of the spirit residing inside him. "I've been fighting for as long as I can remember. Whether it was physically at school or against the darkest corners of my own mind, I've been to war long enough to know what battles are worth fighting." He watched as Beck crossed his arms, truly intrigued by the boy's monologue. I'm not a fool; Fighting you with this much at stake would be suicidal in the worst possible way. Not only that but, there are several lives at stake now that I'm not willing to risk just to have my hand raised in victory."

"You are truly wise beyond your years."

"I just need to know how to master Bosou's influence so that I can release him over to you."

"...and in exchange you want me to release the women, correct."

Once again, Liam nodded with a light-hearted smirk. "Plus, I ask that you release my friend from your influence. Whatever battle takes place, he doesn't need to be involved."

The seconds ticked by, creating a heavier atmosphere the longer the went while the two studied each other with equal determination. One was willing to give up a power that many would kill for in an attempt to save those he holds dear. The other was literally about to have his revenge served to him on a silver platter. The only thing of concern?

Would they both hold up their end of the bargain?

This was one of the trickiest Loas in lore and he wasn't particularly known for having satisfactory dealings with those unfortunate participants. Meanwhile, he was facing off against a human, the species most notorious for lying and deceiving in order to accomplish their own selfish goals. The spirit housed within contemplated every possible outcome that would justify his discomfort but, there was none to be found that was enough to break off this deal.

"Very well, I accept the terms of your offer." he chuckled arrogantly.

"Give me your word that everyone here will go free."

"Deal."

 _You're really going to do this, you cur?!_ Bosou's voice rang inside of Liam's head, no longer hiding the full extent of his anger.

'You told me to trust you... Now, you'll see how much I do.'

While this went on, Cecilia and Celeste exchanged glances, each filled with helplessness and marvel at the respective young men they surrounded. Guilt and worry soon replaced these feelings though as slowly, the two approached one another without hesitation. They couldn't hear anything due to the effects of the mystical cocoons that trapped them but, it seemed that their son/nephew was striking an agreement with the creature inside of the possessed boy. Jade and Tori watched on as well, both trying to struggle from their encasement but, found it futile as there was no give or slack in the bonds.

Barely a foot separated the two now, green locked onto golden-orange, earth & fire battling with vigor.

"How do we do this?" Liam asked, his words devoid of emotions.

"Just shake my hand, and focus on either pushing or pulling the energy through your body. That coward will be forced to comply until he's been expelled."

"What about you setting Beck and the others free?"

Another cocky scoff escaped his friend's lips. "You're adamant... I respect that." With a snap of his fingers, the enchanted bonds began to disappear from around the four, allowing them all to land softly on the floor beneath them. "I'll release the boy after you give up that traitor."

"Of course..." Liam allowed a smirk to rest on his face for once; a surprising quality for him to have at a time like this.

Even with Bosou's shouts and curses, Liam followed through with his end of the bargain, taking Beck's hand into his own firm palm. In less than a second, Celeste and the other's were nearly blinded by a massive spark of light that encompassed the who area around the two. Even without her sight temporarily, the elder managed to stop the two girl's from rushing into a bad situation by shielding them with her body.

"Let me go!" Tori pleaded amidst the tears flowing down her face.

"We need to stop him!" Jade cried out, her own voice laced with pain and torment.

She wanted nothing more than to charge in and help her son, but, something told her to trust his decision. She silently held on to the pair, clamping her eyes shut both from the dastardly brilliance behind her and from the hurt that only a mother could experience from seeing her child making a dangerous decision.

 **"GAAAHHH! What are you doing!?"** a ghastly cry echoed throughout the sounds of pouring rain. **"Let me go, brat!"**

'It must be Bosou...' she sadly concluded.

The horrible shriek persisted even after the light began to fade, no longer robbing the others of their vision. When they were finally able to see the two, it would turn out to be something completely different from what was expected. True, it was the sounds of a distressed spirit, it wasn't Bosou's voice that screamed to the heavens but in fact, Ibo Lele who was being swallowed into the teen's body.

They all watched in amazement as Beck's strength began to fade as his grip became weaker by the second.

 **"What are you doing?!"** The voice of the panicked entity rang in his ears. **"How?"**

"..."

 **"You do know you'll die, right? No human can hold two Loa's inside him."** It was the only thing that gave Ibo Lele comfort at this point as it seemed that he wasn't able to resist much longer.

 **"Whatever it takes to end this..."** Bosou's rage surprisingly grew colder than any form of magic Cecilia could conjure, forcing his spiritual counterpart to submit even more in shock.

His eyes grew darker as he tightened his own grip, not willing to allow this opportunity to finish things to slip away. The shining flame hue, slinked down its former host's arms until it was no longer visible on him. By this point, it had begun crawling up Liam's arms, swirling around his limb and stopping in the middle of his chest. Once every trace of the malicious being was drained from him, Beck's eyes began to shift from the demonic brimstone back to plain old onyx just before feeling himself about to pass out; it wasn't uncommon considering the circumstances of having an evil spirit commanding your body after all.

Two bodies began to fall opposite of one another.

For Beck, the last thing he remembered was the smell of sage and lemon, a scent that was all too familiar to him.

"Thanks, Liam..." He couldn't help the lopsided grin that formed as his mind began to calm while his head rested on someone's lap.

Contrary to him, Liam, while having a smile of his own, fell flat on his back. The drops of rain continued to beat against his face as he laid there unconscious; His mind going blank in the process. Everything around him was no longer sensed as he remained in that spot, surrounded by worried and hysterical loved ones. This was all a part of the plan though, one that was only halfway completed. When he and Bosou concocted this scheme, he was made well aware of the potential consequences and accepted them without hesitation.

"LIAM!" he couldn't hear the desperate calls for him.

If he had any regrets, it was definitely leaving everyone behind...

...especially Jade & Tori...

'Damn!' was the last thing he managed to eke out before the last of his consciousness faded away.

* * *

His eyes shot opened not too long after, his body following suit only for him to succumb to a mild headache

"Ouch... my head." he groaned, clutching at his skull in hopes of alleviating the pressure behind it.

"Oh shut the hell up!" Liam ignored the pounding in his head and followed the sound of the voice, his gaze eventually settling on a sight that even he couldn't have fathomed seeing. "What? You look like you've seen a ghost..."

Amidst the deep scowl, there was no doubt that this person was in fact, Liam, but, there was something off about him. For starters, this... version of him was wearing tattered clothing, almost as if he'd been running through barbed wired or... been beaten. Underneath the worn out attire, he managed to make out several deep scars and bruises that were fresh. Finally, he looked into the other Liam's eyes and saw the one trait that gave away the imposter's identity: eyes, piercing orange and yellow glaring back at him with the darkest of intent.

"Ibo Lele..." he whispered, gathering his composure as quickly as he could.

"Relax, jackass..." he spat. "You're in no danger... at least not yet."

The wicked smile that followed unnerved him even more, but thankfully, knowing that he wasn't about to be swarmed with attacks outright was a bit relieving.

...Until he realized the last part of 'his' statement...

"Not yet? What are you talking about?"

Once more, the look of annoyance emerged on the face of this copycat. "I'm bound by the laws of your mind."

Confusion crossed the real Liam's face, further cementing the Loa's distaste for him even further as he rolled his eyes.

"Unlike your little friend, you willing took me into your soul. By the laws of spiritual possession, that means I'm obligated to abide by your rules or remain powerless inside of you. Although..." that dark grin returned. "Since you've already had that coward inside of you, there is a limit to said restrictions."

"L-Like what?" a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face.

"I can't attack you until your spirit is no longer broken..."

"So, if I stay the way I am now, I can keep you locked up inside of me and I win."

"Or you'll remain a vegetable until they pull the plug." The look of concern made the false Liam choke back a mocking laugh. "If that happens, then I'll be free to terrorize this wretched world."

"Wait. What?"

"That's right. If you die, Bosou and I will be released and free to roam the earth." His lips twitched more and more, revealing sharp canines. "And do whatever we damn. well. please."

The implications being made by this demonic creature only began to make Liam's soul burn hot with rage. What he'd soon figure out was that the inner flames were actually rising around him and Ibo Lele, creating a ring of fire that surrounded the two. Much to this cheap imitation's glee, the sounds of unseen chains fell from his wrists, gifting him with the freedom he so eagerly awaited.

'Oh shit...' Liam mentally cursed before instinctively taking a defensive stance. Whether he liked it or not, he had no choice but to try and defeat this monster or else, it would escape and wreak havoc on everyone else. Though his heart would feel the squeeze of trepidation slither all over, there was one thing that brought him a little comfort.

His body once more glowed faintly, shrouding him in a green colored aura, surprising his 'guest'.

"Much better..." he rubbed the sore areas of his limbs, his target firmly in his sights now. "Let the games begin..."

He flared his our aura, a devilish shade of hell swirling around him like a miniature twister.

"This ends here!" Liam yelled out, his confidence growing thanks in part to none other than Bosou, who for once smiled warmly at the boy before firmly glaring daggers at the evil form of his partner.

Needless to say, this was not going to conclude without some form of bloodshed; The scary part about it is...

...both sides welcomed and relished in the idea...

* * *

 **This was a relatively short chapter but, I was feeling so good from my birthday, I just had to get this build up out to you guys as quickly as I could. So far, there are only two chapters that are expected to conclude this fic but, it's looking like there will be a few more for the epilogue and the two alternative endings as well. so expect those to be out in due time. In the case of the remaining two main chapters, I'll hopefully have them up very soon and I can get you guys a proper conclusion. I will even throw in a special chapter for those who request it where you can either choose from a one-shot with any of the characters or a minor inclusion in the main story (probably in one of the ending [canon or non-canon]).**

 **Anyways, I hope you all enjoy and have a good morning!**


	49. Chapter 44

**Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously :**

Amidst the deep scowl, there was no doubt that this person was in fact, Liam, but, there was something off about him. For starters, this... version of him was wearing tattered clothing, almost as if he'd been running through barbed wired or... been beaten. Underneath the worn out attire, he managed to make out several deep scars and bruises that were fresh. Finally, he looked into the other Liam's eyes and saw the one trait that gave away the imposter's identity: eyes, piercing orange and yellow glaring back at him with the darkest of intent.

"Ibo Lele..." he whispered, gathering his composure as quickly as he could.

"Relax, jackass..." he spat. "You're in no danger... at least not yet."

The wicked smile that followed unnerved him even more, but thankfully, knowing that he wasn't about to be swarmed with attacks outright was a bit relieving.

...Until he realized the last part of 'his' statement...

"Not yet? What are you talking about?"

Once more, the look of annoyance emerged on the face of this copycat. "I'm bound by the laws of your mind."

Confusion crossed the real Liam's face, further cementing the Loa's distaste for him even further as he rolled his eyes.

"Unlike your little friend, you willing took me into your soul. By the laws of spiritual possession, that means I'm obligated to abide by your rules or remain powerless inside of you. Although..." that dark grin returned. "Since you've already had that coward inside of you, there is a limit to said restrictions."

"L-Like what?" a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face.

"I can't attack you until your spirit is no longer broken..."

"So, if I stay the way I am now, I can keep you locked up inside of me and I win."

"Or you'll remain a vegetable until they pull the plug." The look of concern made the false Liam choke back a mocking laugh. "If that happens, then I'll be free to terrorize this wretched world."

"Wait. What?"

"That's right. If you die, Bosou and I will be released and free to roam the earth." His lips twitched more and more, revealing sharp canines. "And do whatever we damn. well. please."

The implications being made by this demonic creature only began to make Liam's soul burn hot with rage. What he'd soon figure out was that the inner flames were actually rising around him and Ibo Lele, creating a ring of fire that surrounded the two. Much to this cheap imitation's glee, the sounds of unseen chains fell from his wrists, gifting him with the freedom he so eagerly awaited.

'Oh shit...' Liam mentally cursed before instinctively taking a defensive stance. Whether he liked it or not, he had no choice but to try and defeat this monster or else, it would escape and wreak havoc on everyone else. Though his heart would feel the squeeze of trepidation slither all over, there was one thing that brought him a little comfort.

His body once more glowed faintly, shrouding him in a green colored aura, surprising his 'guest'.

"Much better..." he rubbed the sore areas of his limbs, his target firmly in his sights now. "Let the games begin..."

He flared his our aura, a devilish shade of hell swirling around him like a miniature twister.

"This ends here!" Liam yelled out, his confidence growing thanks in part to none other than Bosou, who for once smiled warmly at the boy before firmly glaring daggers at the evil form of his partner.

Needless to say, this was not going to conclude without some form of bloodshed; The scary part about it is...

...both sides welcomed and relished in the idea...

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 44: Of Blood and Roses**

 **"Pain is a pesky part of being human, I've learned it feels like a stab wound to the heart, something I wish we could all do without, in our lives here. Pain is a sudden hurt that can't be escaped. But then I have also learned that because of pain, I can feel the beauty, tenderness, and freedom of healing. Pain feels like a fast stab wound to the heart. But then healing feels like the wind against your face when you are spreading your wings and flying through the air! We may not have wings growing out of our backs, but healing is the closest thing that will give us that wind against our faces."**

 **― C. JoyBell C.**

* * *

The inner self can be a dangerous area if allowed to run on its own devices without restraint.

This was an indisputable truth that Liam himself had learned at a very young age. Back then, he'd be subjected to fits of angst and despair that would cripple him in a number of ways, hampering his ability to efficiently form relationships and function 'normally'. However, being trapped in his own awareness would give him a new meaning to that truth.

The flames that surrounded him and his foe licked at the two's heels, anticipating the taste of 'flesh' that stood mere inches away.

Dark green eyes radiated with anger and determination while, on the other side, an insatiable hunger and destruction glared back with sinister delight. Despite looking exactly like the young man, Ibo Lele's twisted features began to take center stage as daunting fangs began to grow, allowing them to overlap his bottom lip. Scorn and contempt contorted melanin skin into a more snake-like form of himself.

'You have to be kidding me...' he groaned.

 _Do not fear..._ Bosou's call resounded from within, his own hatred pouring out for his spectral enemy. _We can defeat him but, only if you're willing to break past your limits._

It didn't take long for Liam to understand what the spirit meant, a wave of comfort washing over him.

"Are you done with the pomp & circumstances?"

 **"Of course, brat."**

"Good..." he smirked.

No sooner did he utter those words, his body disappeared into thin air. Taken aback, Ibo felt his eyes rapidly scanning the spot where the mortal once stood. Try as he might, there was no sign of him to be found.

Left. Right. Forward. Behind.

No trace of the bothersome teen that was proving to be a barb in his side at this point.

 **"Where are you?!"** his words echoed in the hallowed void, serving to further taunt the Loa. **"Coward! Show yourself!"**

"As you wish..."

The deep calm tore Ibo from his wrath induced scouting as he turned around, ending up on the receiving end of a well-timed thrust that landed flush on the chops. The force of the hit, combined with the power of the fearsome Loa, was enough to send the monstrosity skidding across the stage, stopping just short of the ravenous embers. Shaken a bit, the distorted 'Liam' swiftly got back to his feet, the heat practically salivating on his heels while he stared at the boy in disbelief.

 **"Many curs..."** he spat. **"That was a lucky shot!"**

"Was it?"

Once more he vanished, becoming invisible to his opponent once more. Once again, Ibo analyzed the space around him in hopes of figuring out some flaw to the young man's technique. He knew that he'd have an advantage with his back near the flames, protecting his only blind spot. This left only three directions that he'd have to guard.

The question was: From which side would he come from?

 **'Patience...'** he forced the mantra into his mind, continuously repeating it until he was once again composed. **"There's a key to this trick... All I have to do is, ack!~"** **  
**

Once again Ibo Lele felt the familiar sting of Liam and Bosou's combined strength connecting with his jaw, staggering him in the process. Step by step, his body swayed wildly from the impact, thankful that his unholy aura was able to protect him from such a massive blow. He was able to regain his standing, grounded feet firmly planted now, and wiped the corner of his lip where a tiny trace of a bruise had formed.

 **"Pretty clever..."** he quipped, eyes now zig-zagging with the notes of rushing wind all around him.

Wait... Rushing wind?

He took this as a crucial hint, a clear hint of where the next attack would arrive from.

His lids closed gently, not too much to distract him from the reality around him. Ears jerked every so often as the formerly faint sounds whizzed by him over and over, another aid in his endeavor to turn the tide of battle; a symbol that Liam/Bosou was hesitant in fully committing to an attack. His lip slowly crept upward at that realization, simultaneously confusing the soul's owner in the process. Something was clearly different about the air around him now.

This visual was enough to raise awareness, though for what? That remained to be seen.

'Why is he just standing there?' Liam frowned slightly, still maintaining his speed, however. "Have you finally given up?!"

Strong arms folding over his chest, Ibo straightened his posture with a carefree expression.

"There's no need for me to be concerned anymore," his arrogance surprised the teen. "I can easily read your moves even before you do."

 _I don't like this..._ Despite the blatant skepticism coming from Bosou, Liam ignored it.

Not one to be one-upped, Liam snarled at the cocky male. "We'll see about that!"

The moment came; that moment of truth that would decide who was correct and who was making a life-threatening mistake.

Was it the still form of the Loa? Or, would it be the overly concerned mortal?

The answer arrived at the next move. Liam saw an opening and launched himself towards Ibo Lele. His intent was to finish this fight so that, hopefully, he could focus on figuring out a way back to his friends and loved ones. Sailing at breakneck speeds, he twisted his body, manipulating the amount of torque afforded to him from the supersonic build-up, to kick the head of his unwelcomed occupant off of his shoulders.

Only, something was terribly wrong.

He had both felt and heard his attack connect and yet, the figure didn't so much as budge from his spot.

"Foolish boy..." he whispered, no longer expressing interest.

Shocked, Liam didn't have time to contemplate as he soon began to see the world around him spinning out of control. By the time he was once again facing Ibo Lele, he felt a powerful impact grinding into his stomach. His eyes bulged out from the sharp pain that forced him to cough up bile before ultimately crashing on the ground below.

He clutched his gut, gasping for any amount of air to enter his lungs. Coughing up more of his bodily fluids, his insides screamed in desperation for relief; relief that was just out of reach at the moment.

"What. The. Hell..." he retched.

 **"Your arrogance blinded you..."** darkness poured from his lips, a fountain of hell and brimstone rocking the struggling youth. "While you were flying around like a bird, you forgot the most important rule of the mind."

Peering up through gritted teeth, Liam saw the stoic Loa slowly begin to shift his body once again. This time, instead of holding the form of himself, the figure slowly began to morph into something, or rather someone, all too familiar. Dark and scaly skin became smooth ivory, golden orbs were now frozen glaciers, locs separated into many raven-hued tendrils...

He'd become none other than:

"Jade..."

"...Adaption, Liam..." even the voice was exactly like hers. The smirk that rested on 'her' face only served to further rattle the haunted cauldron before him. "You either follow it, or you perish."

A soccer kick to the face sent Liam tumbling near the fiery blaze nearby; the heat practically melting his face.

He gingerly picked himself up, practically forcing himself to ignore the sight of one of his girlfriend, looking down upon him.

"Y-you're not real..." his lip quivered from the harsh pain swirling inside of him; he was positive that he'd broken a (proverbial?) rib or two.

"Am I, tiger?" 'she' winked at the wounded carcass. "After all that we've been through, you're rejecting me?"

"No..." he growled, though only with half of the viciousness he'd hope to exude.

"Maybe this...!" she delivered another kick to his face, causing his head to whip back violently. "...will show you just how real I am!"

More blood began to spurt, this time from his nose that he'd be sure would've been broken had it not been for them being in his inner consciousness. He rolled away slowly from the embers, not wanting to inflict any more pain on himself if it could be avoided. His head was pounding from the abuse he'd just sustained but, he persisted on in his attempts in getting away from this distorted creature behind him. Not too far from him, he noticed the lone exit, his only guarantee for safety at this point.

Closer and closer he crawled and stumbled, tuning out the taunts the echoed behind him. Inch by inch, he felt a wave grow stronger as he soon found himself mere fingertips away from his anticipated escape. His efforts would soon be rewarded...

Until the world around him began to shift before his very eyes.

The threshold became twisted until Liam found himself staring at the outskirts of the city he'd known to be home. The sounds of the cars and people below filled his ears now. The overbearing heat now became a chilly breeze that brushed his face with its kiss. The moon was high in the sky, highlighted by the serene twilight below. Sadly, this wasn't a pleasant experience, a fact that hammered into him by his own heart. He knew this scene all too well, an observation that made him scurry backward upon closer inspection.

This was the night he'd almost took his own life.

"Aren't you going to jump?" another voice, familiar and demented in its own right caught his attention.

'Not again...' his mind whispered, simultaneously resisting the urge to turn and face the owner. Fear now fully gripped every part of him in its grasp as his shivering only became more vicious and relentless. By now, he was becoming nothing short of a cowering child trapped in the darkness he so insanely feared. His eyes just continued to stare at the ledge.

"So, you do remember this moment, don't you?" the feminine tone fluttered in the air, lulling Liam into a trance-like state. "Don't worry, I'm here..."

He soon began to feel lighter than ever before, as if floating in the air. His eyelids grew heavier with each passing second. His senses soon became no longer there. Liam was enchanted by the soothing melody of a Vega's voice, only it wasn't Tori's. His mind registered one single order, walk. That lone 'request' was enough for him to nod slowly then, without delay, he gave into the mental invasion and took the first step to the granite barrier.

Left. Right. Left. Right.

Each step took him to the desired destination, halting just short of the edge.

"That's a good boy..." 'Trina' cooed in his ear. "Now, I need you to jump. There's no longer a need to fight me any longer."

'She's right. I'm so tired...'

"Just take a couple of more steps and it'll all be over."

"Yeah... over."

His right foot shook as he took that final step on solid ground. His eyes, glazed and murky by the sweet tone of the brunette behind him, looked on at the stage unfolding before him. Gone was his trepidation, replaced by a false peace that squeezed his heart with an iron grip. The colorful lights illuminated his face, a zombified cast adorning his features. The light was hidden by the influence of his former lover.

"One more step," 'Trina' grinned, her lips curled into a demented fashion. "End this..."

"I- I don't..."

 **"Kill yourself..."**

'She' locked her gaze on him, further cementing her hold on his weakened state. The few remaining shards of resistance floated away in the wind as Liam felt her soft touch on his shoulders. He bowed his head, unable to fight the effects any longer.

His body was driving itself.

His mind had been stripped of any control.

Eyes like the forest were no longer vast with life but, devoid of any sign of autonomy.

His soul?

Lost is the only word that could describe where he was headed once he took that last step from atop the building.

'I won't feel a thing...' he silently surmised.

 _What about those two?!_ He suddenly stopped, half of his body now teetering on air. _Are you just going to give up and leave those two behind?! Are you content with leaving behind a mother and sister to mourn the loss that you accepted without even trying to fight back?!_

Once more his frame shook, this time from the roar of Bosou, who somehow managed to break through to the boy.

 _There's a reason why that woman awakened me inside of you!_

"Awakened?"

 _Yes! I was always inside of you, brat!_ he spat, though his words held no venom. _That wannabe Voodoo Queen has no magic strong enough to place me inside of you. She could only awaken what was already inside of you; the heart and spirit of a warrior! Or so I thought..._

Liam remained frozen.

 _Are you really willing to throw away everything that you've worked so hard to receive?! Was everything that they've worked for with you all for naught?! The broken hearts, enduring the pain of watching you carry the world on your shoulders?_ Liam chewed his lip furiously. _Did they date a man or a coward?!_

As the Loa continued to berate him, 'Trina' or Ibo Lele watched in both confusion and anger. "Why did you stop?"

Nothing.

 **"Jump off the ledge!"** he roared in the girl's voice.

"No..." his tone, condescending and low, made the figure's ear twitch.

 **"Excuse me?"**

"You heard me..." slowly Liam turned around, revealing his stone cold demeanor. "I'm not jumping..."

Seeing his mind games were no longer effective, the Loa charged at the boy; with him being mere inches from the inescapable drop, there wasn't any delay in the monster's plan.

 **"If you refuse to die willingly,"** he no longer concealed his own demonic voice. **"then allow me to send you to meet your maker myself!"**

With a speed unlike any other, Ibo Lele couldn't help but salivate as he readily lunged at his soon-to-be victim. In truth, there was nothing Liam could actually do; his most recent act of defiance simply being nothing more than teenage rebellion. Up to this point, any partnership with Bosou had been temporary due to the pair's inability to connect and coexist properly. This was all the advantage needed.

Speed. Strength. Agility.

No matter the category, it appeared that they all favored the malicious being.

 **"No escape!"** his voice boomed in triumph. **"You're mine!"**

The only thing that could be heard was a voice, familiar and yet, foreign.

* * *

Back in the real world, Celeste had been tending to her son ever since he lost consciousness. In this comatose state, there was little she could do aside from keeping him stable. While as a bokor, this was already frustrating, being the mother of the boy only made things that much harder to deal with. An eerie silence filled the group, each soul either watching on the status of their friend or helping the others recover.

The only one to be the exception was Cecilia who'd chosen to keep her distance from the others for obvious reasons.

"What's going on with him?" a worried Tori looked down at the condition of her lover. Fear steadily slinked around her soul, coiling and slithering like a poisonous serpent teasing its captured prey.

"I don't know..." This didn't sit well with the olive skin girl but, she remained silent as the older woman resume her chanting.

"There has to be something we can do," Beck groaned only to be forced to lay down by Lucille, who gave him a stern glare that shut down his own will.

"For now, we can only hope that he finds his way back."

No sooner did the young woman say those words, Liam's body began to convulse uncontrollably. This sent Jade into a meltdown as she helplessly stared at the violently seizing boy that held her heart. Pools of sapphire shimmered like stars as she was pulled away by an equally torn Tori Vega. As she struggled to peel herself from her girlfriend's grasp, she failed to notice the figure approaching Celeste.

"Liam!" Her screams rose to the heavens only to be overtaken by the commanding thunder.

"Relax child."

Both Tori and Jade turned their attention to none other than Cecilia who knelt down next to her older sibling. Contrary to Celeste's emotional state, she remained calm and slowly laid a hand on the shivering youth only to feel a rough hand grip her wrist. It was clear who the owner was; the glare she felt burrowing through her skull took her back to her childhood but, this was not the time for bitter reminiscing.

"What are you doing?" Duel orbs fading several shades.

"I'm trying to help..."

"If you're trying to hurt my son, I'll-"

"This isn't the time for threats, sister..." she cut the woman off, a newly rekindled fire burning behind her own multi-colored gates. "Right now, my nephew is in danger of losing his soul. We need to stabilize his mind. But, I can't do that with you interfering."

Celeste wasn't fully convinced, but, there was little time to interrogate her younger sister.

It was with a heavy heart (and sigh) that she'd release her hold, granting Cecilia the opportunity to rest her palm on the boy's forehead.

"Liam..." she leaned in, careful not to incite any more of the woman's wrath. What she felt was nothing short of pure torment and pain flowing from within the depths of his thoughts. No matter where she tried to focus her energy, there were just more "I know you're in danger, but, you must know that you're not alone. It's no secret that our relationship hasn't been the best, but, I want you to know that everyone believes in you. That includes me..." Skepticism still oozed from Celeste, yet, she made no move to stop her. Instead, she watched as slowly, but surely, Liam's convulsions began to diminish in force. "I've caused you and many others pain in order to further my own goals and agendas. Only now do I see the damage I've caused. For that, I am truly sorry..."

Hot tears stung, wet shards cut down her cheek onto the body below, much to the shock of everyone around.

"I can't begin to make up for everything that I've done... but, if... no, WHEN you make it back, all that I ask is that you give this stubborn old woman a chance to try." She leaned forward, thankful that her kin didn't dare stop her from placing her lips upon his cheek. "I know you can make it... you can beat this demon. Just..." she took in a shallow breath.

* * *

"...I believe in you..."

Those words ignited something; a flame sparked by not just those that which had been spoken, but the one who uttered them.

 **"What the hell?"** The Loa stared in confusion. His attempt at shoving the teen off the edge of the mental building, while it did connect, it seemed to have no effect. This only served to infuriate the Loa. **"Just what the hell is going on here?!"**

What stood before him was the untouched Liam, who slowly turned around.

"Why are you surprised, Ibo Lele?" he stared at the young man with disdain. "This is my mind isn't it?"

This wasn't the same kid that he'd nearly succeeded in killing, was he? No. This couldn't be. The person before was broken in mind and spirit but, whoever this person standing in front of him now? This person was nothing close to that individual. What was once fragile glass had transformed into something far more durable. This brought a level of uncertainty that infected the unwanted infiltrator took several steps back.

Once he was a safe distance away, Ibo Lele noticed that his opponent didn't so much as flinch. 'What is this boy planning and... why didn't my attack touch him?"

His answer came in the form of a bright green blaze shrouding Liam, who simply stared at the shocked spirit, his face unreadable.

"No." Instantly, all of the demonic and pompous bravado. "You're nothing more than a mere mortal!"

 **"You're wrong, Ibo..."**

"That voice..."

 **"This young man isn't just some mere mortal..."** he could hear Liam's voice clearly but, there was another's mixed with his. **"...this boy is a descendant of mine."**

"Your son? Then, that'd mean you're..."

 **"...Going to destroy you for what you've done."**

This didn't sit well with Ibo Lele who trembled slightly. "That's a good one! I'll just kill destroy you Bosou and take this kid's body as my own."

Without warning, he unleashed a powerful wave of flames from his hands, completely engulfing the troublesome youth. With all of his fury, Ibo Lele didn't let for a single second, laughing maniacally as he bathed his victim in a sea of hellfire. Bigger and bigger the heated vortex grew until it looked as if it were uncontainable. His demented humor rang into the fabricated night sky until he was sure that he'd incinerated his foe.

Out of energy, he ceased his hellacious assault, marveling at his handiwork. Shining brightly, he stared at the massive blaze, almost enamored with it as a child would be upon seeing the Christmas gift they'd begged for.

"Burn! BURN!" he chanted, cackling at the destruction in front of him.

 **"Is this really all you have to offer?"**

He froze.

Terror now gripping his heart, Ibo Lele, one of the most feared among the other Loas, froze.

"It can't be..." his head shook instinctively. "I didn't miss... I got you."

Like a leaf in the wind, the formerly cocky entity shook. He couldn't fathom that his most powerful strike. He'd learned from his previous mistake and enclosed it so that it formed a large ball of fire which should've prevented any escape. Despite all of that precaution, his ears twitched with the sounds of this irritation... no, this vexation. What more could he do now?

"You still don't get it, do you?" Liam's voice returned to normal, but the aura surrounding him still remained.

"SHUT UP!" Ibo Lele still had one last trip up his sleeve.

He stretched his arm out, releasing an invisible wave that began to warp the area around them. No longer was the scene showing the Hollywood Art's dormitories. Instead, Liam's eyes settled upon on the sight of Yerba, more specifically, it was the garage area where he had fought and killed that psychopath. He made a mental note of everything that had occurred prior to that traumatic event and held his stoic demeanor on the Loa.

He knew exactly what this creature was trying to do now.

"Remember this night?!" he yelled out in sadistic glee. "If I remember correctly, this was the place where you murdered that crazy man on foreign soil! You were hospitalized for a good amount of time but, did you truly heal from that horrific ordeal?"

"Of course..." his emotionless reply troubled Ibo.

"Are you sure you-?"

"I killed someone in defense of, not only myself but also the women and friend that I care deeply for. Next."

Not one to accept defeat, the Loa shifted the landscape again and again only to find that nothing was having any effect on Liam. From the Halloween fiasco to several other scenarios from his childhood, there wasn't anything that so much as made him bat an eyelash. Which each memory that passed, Ibo Lele's desperation only grew, like a ravenous weed that threatened to choke the life out of him. He was running out of ideas until something caught both his and, surprisingly the teen's eyes.

The day he met her.

"Trina..." the way her name flowed so freely from his lips, Liam nearly cursed for expressing such weakness.

They now stood in the dark confines of the abandoned theater...

The same theater where he found Trina engaging in lewd acts that set the stage for everything that would occur afterward.

"So... this is an interesting moment isn't it?" The Loa's left eye twitched like a madman. "You found this young woman whoring around and thought you could save her, didn't you?" he nodded, a flash of disappointment revealed itself in the process before vanishing. "You were so bent on trying to rescue someone who didn't want to let go of her life that it nearly drove you mad. I'd call that your greatest failure if I ever saw one."

"Failure?"

"Yes, failure!" Ibo barked in delight. "You couldn't save a single girl! Even after you voluntarily gave up your innocence to her, she still ran off. With all of that said, she finally returned only to have replaced you with a woman. That really had to hurt, didn't it? You weren't man enough to please or help that little girl and then, to have all of that hard work and effort rewarded to another? That's pathetic..."

Though not amused, Liam did allow a ghost of a smirk to appear.

He wasn't going to take the bait again.

"You're right. It was pathetic of me," This took the copycat by surprise. "To assume that I could do the job of many on my own? That's pretty arrogant and foolish when I think about it. I mean, Rome wasn't built in a day and that was with the effort of a multitude. I was optimistic about saving Trina and even thought about taking on a crime boss if necessary. In the end, you're right. I ended up broken-hearted, betrayed, and worthless for the better part of two years..." his smirk slowly began to grow, much to Ibo Lele's disdain, a firm scowl deepening by the second. "But, in the end, the positives far outweigh the negatives. I was given the hearts of not one, but two beautiful women whom I love deeply, I gained several best friends, and, I found my mother and sister as a result." he chuckled warmly. "That sounds more like a huge win for me."

"Why you...!" he snarled, practically foaming at the mouth at this point. "What is wrong with you?!"

His answer came in the form of a spine-tingling punch to the gut, effectively knocking the wind out of the entity.

Dark golden eyes rolled back. Saliva flew onto the makeshift floor of the theater.

"You are."

To make matters worse, several more solid strikes followed with a perfect mixture of power and precision.

One. Two. Three. Four.

Each fist felt like a neverending hurricane of pain and suffering that washed over the defenseless Loa. He tried to put his hands up but, it did nothing to help as he was too slow to react. The only thing he was able to do was stare into the unadulterated focus behind this 'lowly' mortal's portals as he began to succumb to the blows. However, before he did, Ibo Lele had to admit that there was something else in those glowing emeralds.

'Dammit...' he mentally kicked himself for not realizing it sooner. All of this rage and thirst for vengeance leaving him in his current state. 'How could I have been so blind?'

"Time to finish this...!" Liam roared, letting up only for a moment.

His fist soon glowed with a bright cerulean-hued energy that, to anyone else watching, would've been considered magnificent to observe. Unfortunately, Ibo Lele's very being shivered in both awe and fear of the incoming attack. He was too weak from his own final assail coupled with the onslaught he'd just endured.

'Good one,' he closed his eyes, an uncharacteristic grin adorning his face. '...He truly is your son, Alexandre...'

The final charge landed, pummeling the spiritual being into the ground, shattering the fabricated world around them. The ground underneath caved in, creating a humongous crater. Around them, mirrored shards reflecting the memories and scenarios of Liam's mind fell and crumbled into sparkling dust upon making contact with the ground of the hallowed and dark room where this battle began.

From the enormous destruction, Liam began to crawl out steadily, his own form aching in the process. One he escaped from the hole, he took a moment to gather his second wind. Mindscape or not, he was still exhausted as his chest rose and fell heavily. His hair was sprawled out everywhere but, he didn't care though. For now, he'd bask silently in his victory...

...victory?...

His eyes shot open and his frame twisted until he was staring back into the large cavity.

"He's not here." Liam turned to find Bosou standing there and, another male who was looking at him rather oddly.

"Um... who are you?" he pointed bluntly.

The older male chuckled warmly, rolling his eyes as well. "To think Bosou, he's grown up so much."

"True," the Loa crossed his arms, an amused smirk resting on his lips. "Although, he's still a little bratty."

Liam glared at the spirit before returning to the unknown man.

"I guess Celeste never told you about me?"

"Mom?" he raised an eyebrow, pondering the riddling question. "How do you know my mother?"

'Dense too...' the mysterious guest slowly shook his head. "I've known her for years before passing away. She is my wife, after all."

Liam's jaw dropped. Upon hearing that revelation, gone was the future 18-year old, in his place, the image of a small, tearful child emerged.

"Dad?" his voice, high and airy, held so much eagerness which caught the man off guard; He nodded still, smiling the whole time.

"Hello, son..."

Father and son embraced; love pouring out as he picked up the tiny adolescent, cradling him in his strong arms. As expected, the childlike form of Liam sobbed into Alexandre's shoulder, not caring about Bosou seeing him at a time of weakness. Right now, all that mattered was that he was with his dad, the man he was named after, the man he lost before he could even speak. Alexandre smiled as he rubbed the boy's back in hope of comforting him.

Once he had concluded his tearful reunion, the two pulled apart, taking in the appearance of the other. For Liam, this was the man who held his mother's heart and for whom he was named after. He could definitely see the resemblance; Green orbs like his own shimmered with fascination. For Alexandre, he was looking at the spitting image of himself, though, there were a few difference. While Liam had long locs, his hair was simply a curly afro. Liam, who had a light stubble on his chin was a mere shadow of his own full beard that resembled a fluffy black cloud.

"I can't believe it's you..." his voice had returned to normal, as did his form.

"Yes, and I must tell you this before you go..."

Panic swiftly took over. "Go?! But, you just got here...!"

"I understand, but, there's still something that you must do." sensing an incoming argument, he pointed to the lone doorway. The three stared for a few moments before an image began to form behind it. A few more seconds passed and Liam was able to see the image of his mother, aunt, and others waiting for an end to this nightmare. "You have so many people waiting for you."

"I have so many questions though..." downcast eyes scanned the floor.

"Have you forgotten about your mother? She is able to converse with the dead, you know. I'm sure she can teach you how to communicate with them as well."

On cue, Liam smacked his forehead at something so obvious. "Good point."

"Now, go on and return to the world of the living." Liam was still visibly upset, a fact Alexandre didn't fail to notice. (Not that he could blame him, mind you.) Placing a hand on his shoulder, the older man let out a hearty laugh. "I'll still be here waiting to talk with you, son. I promise."

Finally, he'd succeed in getting the teen to smile, his eyes lighting up like neon lights now. This didn't last as Liam blinked several times and smacked his lips; classic teenager behavior for these types of situations. "Alright. But, I'm holding you to that..."

"Hey, I'm dead... I've got nothing but time."

The two would then embrace once more before Alexandre, reluctantly, sent his offspring off to the only exit. However, just before passing through, the young man felt something clutch at his shoulders, spinning him around in the process. Dizzy, he fought to regain his focus as both Bosou and his father each handed him an item. From the former, he received a ceremonial bracelet that he was urged to give to his "gothic flower". As for the latter, he was given a small ring with an inscription that was written in another language.

Grateful, Liam rushed the duo and gave them a huge hug, much to Bosou's chagrin; he obviously wasn't used to displays of affection from others.

"Thank you both."

He then ran off through the gateway but, not before hearing something about changing the scenery of his inner self to something more appealing.

* * *

"Something's happening!" Liam heard a voice, excited and mind-numbingly annoying right now.

'Must be Cat...' he droned mentally, imagining the bouncy redhead.

The sanctuary of darkness no longer being viable, he begrudgingly opened his eyes only to be welcomed by the bright lights. While equally vexing, he was grateful to have been taken out of the rain. Groaning softly, he began to make out images around him, the first one being the aforementioned Cat Valentine who soon darted for the door giggling. The next image was that of his good friend Andre, who now sported an apologetic gaze, shrugging for the actions of his sometimes hyper girlfriend. He blinked several times until his vision was clear enough to tell that he was in his own bed.

He was back in his dorm.

"Sorry man," he rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"Whatever," Liam rubbed his pounding brain. Andre didn't take any offense knowing fully about what had happened over the last few days; Anyone else would've reacted the same way. "Where's everyone else...?"

"Most of the gang had to go to school, though they should be getting out about now. Your mom convinced Helen that you were going to be out for a few days due to bereavement."

Liam's eyes shot open. "How long have I been out...? What about Robbie? What the hell happened?!"

"Ow..." another voice, this one raspy and pained, caught his attention. "Would you mind keeping it down?"

Liam ignored the pressure behind his skull, a moved he knew he would regret later, and peered over the edge to see none other than the curly-haired nerd. By now, he was pulling himself into a sitting position, he too recovering from some severe damage. Thanks to his disbelief, Liam hopped from the bed and, taking a squatting position, began to poke the boy.

"Robbie?"

"Yeah?" he swatted the single digit away.

"How are you still alive?"

"Huh? Still alive? What are you talking about?"

"You mean, you don't remember?"

"Remember what? You're acting weird..." Robbie stared at him as if he'd grown a tail and wings. "Weirder than usual. Can I go back to sleep now?"

Liam and Andre obliged, allowing him to turn over in the bed, pulling the covers over his head in the process. This didn't sit well with Liam though, but, he was unable to inquire further as he was pulled from the room by his friend. The two would trek to the rooftop, thankful that it was vacant for the time being. The latter then proceeded to fill Liam in on everything that had occurred since he had lost consciousness. Everything from his violent convulsions to them moving him back to the dorm, no detail was spared.

"So, Ahrya and my aunt both left?" Andre Harris nodded. "And they both managed to bring Robbie back, but, his memory's been wiped of everything that's happened prior to them getting together."

"As far as he's concerned, they went on a few dates but, nothing came from it. She got transferred out and they moved away... don't ask how they got all of that done in such a little bit of time. Even though you might forgive them, they doubted the others would, particularly two people."

"It'd make more sense just not to ask, but, what about that damned puppet?"

"Still missing... and thank god!" the two erupted into a fit of laughter from that one.

"Finally, throughout everything, you and Cat are an item now?" his musically inclined buddy turned away, futilely attempting to hide his blush. "You sly fox! You've been hiding this all of this time?"

"For good reason..." he muttered.

Raising an eyebrow, Liam crossed his arms over his chest. "What would you consider a good reason?"

"Liam?"

The two turned around upon hearing the feathery sounds of one young woman; That voice making his heart flutter in both excitement and love. His eyes rested on the slender form of Tori Vega. Warm honey stared behind strands of mahogany at her boyfriend. The way the sun hit her eyes left Liam at a loss for words. For her, it had been far too long since she'd had the opportunity to be in her lover's presence and now, only a few feet separated her from him. Without another word, she ran over to him, salt infused drops flying with the wind. The last couple of inches were closed in a single bound when she pounced on him.

He narrowly managed to maintain his balance before being smothered in kisses and tears. Andre took that as his cue to leave, only to stop short of the exit. The reason? A shrill shriek followed by the most anti-masculine scream that even tore the couple from their outpouring of love.

"What the hell was that?!" he clutched his chest.

"WHERE IS HE SHAPIRO!" Tori and Liam remained where they stood while a freaked out Andre took several steps away from the exit. The last thing he wanted to do was get caught in a certain someone's warpath of rage.

Mere moments later, the three watched as Robbie Shapiro scurried up the stairs followed by an irate Jade West, who was now equipped with a new pair of scissors. The whimpering form's pleas fell on deaf ears as Jade managed to miss the others entirely, clearly having tunnel vision. While she relished in the emotional torment, Liam noticed his mother, sister, and Beck being led by Cat (yes, still bouncing and giggling).

"Mom. Sis." he smiled softly. The matriarch mirrored him, silently heading over to hug her youngest. Tori and Beck sported their own grins as Lucille followed suit, capturing her kid brother in her arms. Being reunited, the family just stayed like that for, however, they didn't care about the time at the moment.

They only broke apart when the sounds of metal crashed against the concrete floor of the building. Celeste & Lucille pulled away, giving Liam clear room to see who'd done that. His eyes rested on the Jade who just looked back dumbfounded. Gone was the previously malicious deviant, replaced by the stunned and astounded girl. Her she could feel her heartbeat in her throat. Her hands began to sweat and her bottom lip quivered. The only thing she wouldn't allow was the hot pearls that stung at the corner of her eyes.

She wanted nothing more than to make a mad dash to him and tackle the guy, but, her feet wouldn't budge from their spot. Rooted in place, she was forced to watch as Liam took the lead, approaching her with his signature goofy grin. Each step he took only made her pulse quicken. By the time he was directly in front of her, she couldn't even feel anything flowing, just a feeling of lightness flowing inside of her.

She both loved and hated this feeling.

"Hey, monster..." Oh, how she missed his low and gentle voice.

"H-hey..." she averted her gaze only to have it returned by a lone pointer softly lifting her chin. "Hey, tiger."

He then leaned in, gingerly claiming her lips with his own, prompting a light squeak that Jade only hoped no one else had heard. She didn't have long to wonder as she felt herself melt into her boyfriend's arms; those strong arms that both protected and cared for her. She wrapped her own limbs around his neck, deepening their lip lock.

"Ahem..." Lucille cleared her throat, spoiling their moment. "Sorry, but, we're all here still."

Feeling a bit of her old persona return from its minor hiatus, the pale goth stepped forward. "Well, I charge fifty bucks for spectators and one hundred if you want to join."

If possible, Lucille suddenly felt the urge to murder the goth, who accentuated her teasing with a wink. It was only thanks to her ex, Beck whispering something in her ear that she didn't go through with it. Meanwhile, Tori had joined up with her two significant other's, amused at how the pair interacted. Liam was not. In his eyes, Beck was getting a little too friendly with his sibling, triggering his possessive nature. Sure, he'd only known Lucille for some months but, the principle still stood. It didn't make things better when she let out a playful giggle, accompanied by a longing gaze at the boy once compared to Aladdin.

"I think he and I need to have a talk..." he muttered darkly only to have an arm held by his ladies, Tori for the right and Jade on the left.

"Let it go, Liam..." Tori pouted, nuzzling his arm as if she were a cat.

On the other hand, Jade took his hand in her own and led her Latina lover in a group hug. "Yeah, we have more important things for you to be concerned with."

He was about to protest but found it impossible while the two alternated kisses, effectively silencing and taking control of his attention. While all of these things occurred, Celeste watched her son become engulfed in adoration. As the cool afternoon breeze whisked by, she could've sworn its touch felt familiar but, she chalked it up to her imagination. Seeing her son, daughter, and his friends all interact, she took a seat on the swinging bench and enjoy the midday weather.

"Welcome back, Alexandre..." she chuckled warmly.


	50. Chapter 45

**Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously :**

"WHERE IS HE SHAPIRO!" Tori and Liam remained where they stood while a freaked out Andre took several steps away from the exit. The last thing he wanted to do was get caught in a certain someone's warpath of rage.

Mere moments later, the three watched as Robbie Shapiro scurried up the stairs followed by an irate Jade West, who was now equipped with a new pair of scissors. The whimpering form's pleas fell on deaf ears as Jade managed to miss the others entirely, clearly having tunnel vision. While she relished in the emotional torment, Liam noticed his mother, sister, and Beck being led by Cat (yes, still bouncing and giggling).

"Mom. Sis." he smiled softly. The matriarch mirrored him, silently heading over to hug her youngest. Tori and Beck sported their own grins as Lucille followed suit, capturing her kid brother in her arms. Being reunited, the family just stayed like that for, however, they didn't care about the time at the moment.

They only broke apart when the sounds of metal crashed against the concrete floor of the building. Celeste & Lucille pulled away, giving Liam clear room to see who'd done that. His eyes rested on the Jade who just looked back dumbfounded. Gone was the previously malicious deviant, replaced by the stunned and astounded girl. Her she could feel her heartbeat in her throat. Her hands began to sweat and her bottom lip quivered. The only thing she wouldn't allow was the hot pearls that stung at the corner of her eyes.

She wanted nothing more than to make a mad dash to him and tackle the guy, but, her feet wouldn't budge from their spot. Rooted in place, she was forced to watch as Liam took the lead, approaching her with his signature goofy grin. Each step he took only made her pulse quicken. By the time he was directly in front of her, she couldn't even feel anything flowing, just a feeling of lightness flowing inside of her.

She both loved and hated this feeling.

"Hey, monster..." Oh, how she missed his low and gentle voice.

"H-hey..." she averted her gaze only to have it returned by a lone pointer softly lifting her chin. "Hey, tiger."

He then leaned in, gingerly claiming her lips with his own, prompting a light squeak that Jade only hoped no one else had heard. She didn't have long to wonder as she felt herself melt into her boyfriend's arms; those strong arms that both protected and cared for her. She wrapped her own limbs around his neck, deepening their lip lock.

"Ahem..." Lucille cleared her throat, spoiling their moment. "Sorry, but, we're all here still."

Feeling a bit of her old persona return from its minor hiatus, the pale goth stepped forward. "Well, I charge fifty bucks for spectators and one hundred if you want to join."

If possible, Lucille suddenly felt the urge to murder the goth, who accentuated her teasing with a wink. It was only thanks to her ex, Beck whispering something in her ear that she didn't go through with it. Meanwhile, Tori had joined up with her two significant other's, amused at how the pair interacted. Liam was not. In his eyes, Beck was getting a little too friendly with his sibling, triggering his possessive nature. Sure, he'd only known Lucille for some months but, the principle still stood. It didn't make things better when she let out a playful giggle, accompanied by a longing gaze at the boy once compared to Aladdin.

"I think he and I need to have a talk..." he muttered darkly only to have an arm held by his ladies, Tori for the right and Jade on the left.

"Let it go, Liam..." Tori pouted, nuzzling his arm as if she were a cat.

On the other hand, Jade took his hand in her own and led her Latina lover in a group hug. "Yeah, we have more important things for you to be concerned with."

He was about to protest but found it impossible while the two alternated kisses, effectively silencing and taking control of his attention. While all of these things occurred, Celeste watched her son become engulfed in adoration. As the cool afternoon breeze whisked by, she could've sworn its touch felt familiar but, she chalked it up to her imagination. Seeing her son, daughter, and his friends all interact, she took a seat on the swinging bench and enjoy the midday weather.

"Welcome back, Alexandre..." she chuckled warmly.

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 45: Unfinished Business pt. 1**

 **"Sometimes beautiful things come into our lives out of nowhere. We can't always understand them, but we have to trust in them. I know you want to question everything, but sometimes it pays to just have a little faith."**

 **― Lauren Kate, Torment**

* * *

After the events with Ibo Lele, the gang couldn't have been happier to see mundane homework and finals. Things began to die down rather quickly with Beck & Liam both undergoing mental and psychological evaluations with Lane; of course, they'd use the excuse of upcoming exams as the reason for their anxiety. It seemed to work well enough and the two would come to terms with their issues. By now, the weather had gotten warmer and the gang was always looking to take advantage every chance they could. From going to the beach to exploring different locales, nothing was off limits. The same couldn't be said for our hero.

Right now, Liam was a bundle of nerves as he sat at the crew's usual table, a pile of letters lying in front of him.

Sifting through the envelopes, he angrily slammed a couple of them on the table before clutching his head in defeat. Almost at that exact moment, a familiar scent caught his nose, no doubt making him choose to bury his face into the mini mountain of white. Apples and Jasmine filled his senses as he felt the bench shift slightly on both sides of him. Despite the stress overloading his mind, Liam couldn't help but become engulfed by the sudden tranquility brought over by his two favorite people.

"Hey, Liam/Tiger!" they simultaneously called, each planting a kiss on his cheek for good measure.

"Hey..." The two blinked several times, each wondering what could have their beau so down in the dumps.

"Is everything alright?"

To Liam, that was the million dollar question; one that, while simplistic, still carried heavy consequences no matter what answer he gave. He debated whether to lie and say yes, or perhaps he could give some lame excuse about dealing with finals or a project to throw them off the trail. One look at a certain goth girl grounded that plot before it could even get off of the ground. Her normally shining azure crystals were unusually dark, reminding him of the events they'd recently endured.

Needless to say, he did NOT want to poke the beast if it could be avoided.

Of course, Tori picked up on the tension brewing between the two. While she was the odd one out, she still felt that she needed to interject herself into the equation, if nothing else...

"Okay, let's just calm down now and take a breather," her nervous giggle caught the attention of the two. "It's clear that something's bothering Liam. That being said, we shouldn't force it out of him."

Jade's right eye twitched slightly while Liam let out the most obvious sigh of relief only to chuckle/smile nervously when the goth turned her wrath back at him. The difference in reactions was almost comical to Tori who was barely able to stifle her own giggle. Catching herself, she then let out an 'eep' when the two finally turned their attention back to her.

"What?" she blinked.

"That's what we want to know," Jade raised an eyebrow, her face a concrete mask that left her intentions unknown to the Latina. "What's been up with you? Ever since things began to die down, you've been... so cheery..." her top lip curled up until it settled into a frown of confusion and disgust. "And I mean Cat-levels of cheerfulness."

Before she could explain herself, Tori then witnessed Liam draping an arm over the goth, pulling her into an unexpected kiss on her temple.

"Stop..." Jade breathed softly, barely able to suppress the blush that crept its way onto her snow white cheeks. Stifling a moan, she playfully pushed the boy but resumed her prior scowling. "You're not off the hook either, but, I am trying to interrogate our girlfriend, Liam."

He said nothing, instead choosing to hold up his hands defensively in hopes of avoiding any more of Jade's stern gaze. With that settled, azure orbs once again locked on Tori Vega, who wise enough to remain silent up to this point, simply fidgetting every so often.

"Now, what has you so giddy miss Vega?"

"I uh... I was just happy to see you both getting along?"

The tension floating in the air around them seemed to weigh down more on Tori while under the watchful eyes of Jade. To make matters worse, Liam soon copied the gesture, causing her to fidget a bit. The wave of judgment and curiosity made her stomach drop as her mouth opened and closed like a fish.

"Tori," a light voice, one that still held power without force, caught her attention. "What's going on in that mind of yours?"

"Nothing I-!" she stopped abruptly once she picked up the sound of Jade clearing her throat. "Okay... I've just been thinking about everything that's happened between us..."

"Our future?"

She nodded, unwilling to deny his words.

"Yeah..."

Sensing things about to take a dark turn, Liam released his hold on Jade.

"Maybe I should give you two some space?"

"NO!" Jade erupted, nearly scaring the entire student body around them. She quickly fixed her gaze to the ground in hopes of avoiding the awkward stares. "Listen, we've just gotten things back to normal between us, so the last thing we need is 'space'."

"Actually, Jade..." Once more, Tori's feather-like voice drew the pair's attention. "I do need to talk with you one-on-one..."

Confusion washed over the two faces but she remained strong.

"Oh, okay..." Liam finally spoke up, disappointment subtly lacing each word while he gathered the envelopes. "I guess I'll talk to you two later."

A silent Jade leaned in and kissed his cheek before he left through the crowd, leaving behind the befuddled goth and a grinning Latina. A perfectly arched eyebrow told Tori all she needed to know; she half expected it to be honest.

"Okay, what's REALLY going on with you?"

"What?"

"Tori?" she warned.

"Jade?"

"Stop that..." she grumbled, tucking dark locks behind her ears.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

To say that Jade West was about to blow a gasket would've been an understatement. Her left eye twitched violently at her lover and friend. Blood boiled inside of her, but, for the sake of not making a scene, she instead chose to take deep breaths until the wave of anger subsided. In spite of this, Tori's face never changed.

"After, according to you, months of being separated from us, you're quick to get rid of Liam, and with a sly grin on top of that."

"This is true."

"You DO realize that he's probably feeling like crap right now, right?"

"Yes, Jade. I noticed this as he walked away..."

Not wanting to take the bait, azure suddenly widened, not in shock, but realization.

"You're up to something, aren't you?"

Brown eyes looked up at the partly cloudy sky, her lips settling into an amused smirk. "Took you long enough."

On cue, the raven-haired girl felt a devilish grin tugging on her features.

"Tell me more."

* * *

The rest of the day went by rather slowly for Liam after lunch. After leaving the girls, he decided to get some advice from Sikowitz only to wind up leaving there with more questions than answers (many of which he wasn't sure he wanted to know). Between the last few hours of classes, he felt that he was being avoided by the others.

Andre and Cat were 'busy' with their duet for final exams.

Robbie, without Rex or Ahrya, became secluded from the group as a whole.

Over time, it was revealed that Beck and Lucille had begun building a romantic relationship, albeit long distance; he still didn't know how to feel about that. After finding out about this, he would later get word that the former was planning on moving to Louisiana to help with the shop and find his calling in life. Combine that with the fact that his mother and sister had to head back shortly after their big rescue adventure, and it was safe to say that he was feeling rather lonely.

For the next several days, he received little to no further contact with his friends, serving to demoralize him even more as he trudged through the hallways. After the abrupt request made by Tori to speak with Jade alone, neither of them would pick up the phone. On top of that, he was also dealing with upcoming finals and performances that just sent his stress levels into overdrive. It was clear that he was ready for the weekend so he could put the last few days behind him.

By now, he had placed the very last of his books in his locker, thoughts of solitude providing him with a whisper of peace.

"Maybe I'll just listen to some good music and go to sleep..." he muttered to an invisible confidante.

Shutting the door, he managed to trudge away when something caught his attention.

A piece of paper had been taped to the front of the locker door with the words 'To Liam' written on the front. He wasted no time in removing it from its temporary home, scanning the contents diligently.

 **To Liam,**

 **Before you leave, you forgot your book in the Black Box.  
I wanted to bring it to you, but, I didn't see you after class so I left it behind the front curtain if you wanted to pick it up.**

 **Signed, Anonymous.**

Raising a skeptical eyebrow, he let a sigh pass from his lips before heading to the aforementioned location. The irritation, previously adorning him like a coat, was now more like a mask that clutched and twisted his features. Each step only added to the emotional storm brewing in the pit of his stomach until it was at full strength upon his arrival.

The inside of the room was still fully lit, no doubt from someone using it to practice their lines or something of the like earlier. Liam then checked the handwritten letter again before breaking off into a light jog; the sooner he grabbed that book, the faster he could get to his home and succumb to an emotional coma. To his shock, he found no book. Instead, there was another letter, much to his ever-growing annoyance.

Angrily, he snatched the infernal note to scour the information left on it.

 **Dear Liam,**

 **Sorry about lying about the book. But, I really wanted to help you out, if possible.  
I've noticed that you've been moody this week and that you weren't with your girlfriends as much as you normally are.  
It's none of my business but, if you'd like to, maybe you could meet me at the Asphalt Cafe or you could just disregard this letter altogether and go home. Either way is fine...**

 **Signed, Admirer.**

 **P.S. I actually held onto your book for safe keeping if you were wondering.**

"Give me a break," he groaned, rubbing his now sore temples. "Someday this is turning out to be."

At this point, there was nothing stopping him from just ignoring the gut feeling telling him to go home. Unfortunately, there was one issue with that choice:

He'd be leaving behind his Tech book, which he needed for an upcoming final the following week...

"Fuck my life..." he huffed, storming out of the room, unaware of a pair of eyes that had been tracking his every move.

"The Falcon has left the nest," the figure muttered. "He's heading to the Asphalt now."

"Roger that, meet us at the rendezvous point."

"Copy."

* * *

 **Hey everyone!**

 **So, I have something to bring up before moving on to the next chapter.**

 **The first is that Demons Within will be continuing. In that sense, I'm not sure if it'll be a completely new arc or if it'll be a continuation of the current direction after the next few chapters. (I am seriously considering the former of the two as I have several more ideas to throw into the mix, including one that involves Trina.**

 **The following ideas are what I would either include in the current story or treat as stand-alone:**

 **A. College (or Future) Daze:**

 **A direct continuation to Demons Within that takes place after graduation. Not too many details to give honestly, but, there would be some twists and turns involved with Liam's story after leaving Hollywood Arts. (probably stand-alone or short length arc)**

 **B. Alternate Timeline Hi-Jinx:  
**

 **Summer vacation comes and the gang finds themselves involved with voodoo magic where a spell goes wrong and thrusts Jade, Liam, and Tori into different timelines where something interesting happens. For Jade and Tori, they each wind up in an alternate reality where they were the other was chosen instead while Liam experiences a world where Trina never left. (Medium length arc)**

 **C. Jade & Tori's Destiny w/Liam:**

 **Similar to 'Alternate Timeline Hi-Jinx', it differs mainly in regards to the gang arriving in an alternate dimension where mythical creatures and voodoo reign supreme. It's essentially a telling of how the three became bound to each other while exploring a new world. Similar to Kingdom Hearts "Halloween Town", the group will be transformed as well so that they don't stand out or get eaten. What awaits them as they traverse this new world? (Medium or Long length arc) [May include some of the others including Lucille]**

 **As mentioned above, the last two options would probably be added as a new arc in the current story while the first choice could wind up as a short stand-alone story. While I have my interests in which direction to take, I'd love to hear from you all as well. Do you think one of these choices is good to continue the ongoing saga? Should I end it after the next couple of chapters?**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoy this rather short chapter and the second half will be up very soon.**


	51. Chapter 46

**Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously :**

The inside of the room was still fully lit, no doubt from someone using it to practice their lines or something of the like earlier. Liam then checked the handwritten letter again before breaking off into a light jog; the sooner he grabbed that book, the faster he could get to his home and succumb to an emotional coma. To his shock, he found no book. Instead, there was another letter, much to his ever-growing annoyance.

Angrily, he snatched the infernal note to scour the information left on it.

 **Dear Liam,**

 **Sorry about lying about the book. But, I really wanted to help you out, if possible.  
I've noticed that you've been moody this week and that you weren't with your girlfriends as much as you normally are.  
It's none of my business but, if you'd like to, maybe you could meet me at the Asphalt Cafe or you could just disregard this letter altogether and go home. Either way is fine...**

 **Signed, Admirer.**

 **P.S. I actually held onto your book for safekeeping if you were wondering.**

"Give me a break," he groaned, rubbing his now sore temples. "Someday this is turning out to be."

At this point, there was nothing stopping him from just ignoring the gut feeling telling him to go home. Unfortunately, there was one issue with that choice:

He'd be leaving behind his Tech book, which he needed for an upcoming final the following week...

"Fuck my life..." he huffed, storming out of the room, unaware of a pair of eyes that had been tracking his every move.

"The Falcon has left the nest," the figure muttered. "He's heading to the Asphalt now."

"Roger that, meet us at the rendezvous point."

"Copy."

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 46: Unfinished Business pt. 2**

* * *

The sounds of sneakers screeching against tiles made Liam even more disturbed as he trudged down the different corridors. By now, his chest was practically pounding as his heart rate just never seemed to diminish as he neared his target.

"All of this for a stinkin' book..." he grumbled, mentally calculating the identity of the poor soul he was planning on chewing out.

Finally, he'd reached one of the doorways leading to the outside lounge, where, without delay, he shoved the door open, ready to unleash his secretly rehearsed verbal tirade. Nevertheless, he'd never get an opportunity to do that once he recognized who the person was.

Sitting at their conventional table was none other than the casual gothic princess, complete with a trademark grin, looking back at him amusingly.

"Took you long enough, Tiger..."

Crossing his arms, Liam let out all the air he never realized he'd been holding in him all of this time. At this point, he wasn't sure if he was relieved or annoyed at the dark-haired girl.

"Am I to assume that you're the one who wrote the note?" he droned, holding up the piece of paper for her to see.

"Nope!" she slowly shook her head, slowly approaching him in a way that resembled movements of a feline predator. "We both know I'm... more of the up-close and direct type anyway."

As she inched closer, he could feel her sensual aura transmitting and gently caressing his own spirit, making it slightly difficult for him to focus. Thankfully, he had his stubbornness to keep his will in check.

"Do I really?" he watched as she pulled away just enough to look him dead in the eye, almost as if his words had burned her. "It seems that I don't know you as well as I thought. Do I?"

Jade didn't know what stung more, the actual inquiry or the icy tone behind it.

She chanced to look into his eyes and saw a myriad of torture within those emerald orbs; it was clear where this was coming from.

"I take it that you're here for the book, correct?"

"..."

Slowly, her hands dropped to her sides as an uneasy stillness permeated the area around them. Jade then slowly walked to the usual table and grabbed the book, eyeing it with disdain, before tossing it maliciously at the young man, though, she missed him completely as it plopped on the concrete next to him. It didn't matter to her as she began to walk towards the parking lot.

"Here..." her tone as cold as her blue eyes. "Enjoy your study session."

"Jade..."

"No!" she roared. "Just, go back to your isolation or whatever..."

"You mean the isolation YOU left me in?!" Now, he let out his own measure of fury without hesitation. "You're going to blame me for something you put me in?"

Turning around slowly, she sized up her sore boyfriend. A challenging glare directed towards him, she was both impressed and annoyed at his defiance towards her.

"Excuse me?"

Liam took in her tone, that dangerous sweet voice that exuded unpredictability and, with a slight scowl, prepared himself for whatever outcome that awaited him.

"You heard me... I've called and texted you AND Tori only to wind up being sent straight to voicemail or ignored outright! I even went to your houses only to be turned away by your parents or siblings! What more am I supposed to do?!" Seeing her about to interject, he swiftly cut her off, no longer caring if he hurt her feelings in the process. "What would you do if I just suddenly stopped talking to you two? I'd be considered scum by anyone with any sense of morals in this world! You both just disregard me all this week and I'm supposed to just sit and smile like the perfect boyfriend, huh?"

Not surprisingly, Jade snorted at his outburst.

"You really think you're supposed to be perfect? You really are delusional... If I wanted perfect, I would've stayed with Beck..."

"What?"

By now she realized her mistake but caught it way too late as she stared at him with a horrified look only to find that he too sported the exact expression.

"Liam, I didn't..."

"You said what you meant, monster..."

Now it was his turn to show signs of regret as he bit down roughly on his bottom lip. What was supposed to be a simple tit-for-tat response had escalated to something much more personal.

Tears threatened to spill out from her crystal orbs at the utterance of the once beloved nickname; what was once a title of love and adoration, now carried the all too common pain of hatred she used to be accustomed too from others.

But, not Liam...

Without another thought, she snapped.

Rage and fury piloted her senses as she reached into her boot, brandishing a brand new pair of scissors in the process. Noticing this, Liam pulled out his favorite hunter's knife and rushed to the hellbent goth. Both of their pain coated their features, masking their true identities underneath the darkness that never truly disappeared from their souls.

As their neared each other, Jade hopped onto one of the tables to give herself the advantage of having the high ground. It didn't matter as they prepared their weapons of choice.

Then, mere inches from the other, something hit them.

Liam's loneliness throughout the week. Jade's fear of being completely vulnerable. These things would hit the pale girl when she watched his own hot pearls running down his face.

'This is just like our first day...' her inner-self spoke up.

Only there was no Lane to check either of them. By the time her thoughts fully came back to her, she only remembered hearing the crunch of a body smashing into something. Of course, she also felt a sore sensation throughout her own figure as she soon found herself lying on the unyielding terrain. If that didn't already make her feel awful, the next sight nearly made her shudder in utter disgust.

Only a few feet away, she stared at the dull trail of crimson that led to none other than her trusty shears.

"No..." it was the only word she could muster.

Her heart began to lower in her chest at the authenticity of the deed she had committed; she didn't want to believe she had done it.

'Please, God no...' she swayed her head deliberately, still reluctant to accept the reality that was weighing down on her.

"Ugh..." the far-off voice made her ear jerk, tearing her from the tools of her act. "Jade, are you okay?"

"I-I think..." she suddenly froze in terror, lip quivering.

Across from her, sapphire gems shivered at the sight of a bloody Liam pulling himself up to one of the seats with his free hand while the other covered the sizeable wound on his neck. Lids were clenched shut as he bore the intense burning shooting through him, a visible indication to Jade of the injury she'd inflicted on him.

But, something else grabbed her attention.

Now on her hands and knees, still trying to process all that had happened, she noticed the left corner twitch up before watching his torso rise and fall lightly from a faint chuckle.

'Even after what I've done, he's still laughing...?'

"What's with the look, Jade?" she heard him cough out, more from crashing into the table rather than the unseen wound he was still covering. "You look like you've seen a ghost or something."

She gnawed the inside of her jaw, dragging over to him, as traces of red fell unobstructedly down his arm. He then notices the look of concern on her face as she neared him, forcing him to downcast his optics to anything other than that anxious gaze.

"Liam?"

Curse her wanting tone; it was one of his weakness.

"It's nothing... Honest."

"Liam, please..."

"..."

"I'm begging you," this broke him. "I need to see it."

She was grateful that he relented, watching slowly as his hand slowly dropped from his neck, revealing the wound. While there was a considerable amount of blood, it appeared that the wound wasn't too deep where he would be in any serious danger. This didn't change the level of guilt swimming in her stomach.

From what she saw, her scissors managed to cut down his jawline stopping short of his collarbone. She mentally thanked the heavens that she missed the jugular altogether.

"See? It's not so bad..." He attempted another smile, but, one dark glare from Jade ended that before it could get off of the ground. "Sorry..."

"No. I'm sorry."

"Huh?" he raised an eyebrow careful so that he wouldn't exasperate the wound. "What are you sorry for?"

Ignoring the obvious answer, she silently pointed to his chest.

"I shouldn't have said what I said," she bit her lip. "Mentioning Beck after all we've been through was reckless and stupid."

"Well, I shouldn't have reacted the way I did," he admitted, sincerity pouring out. "That was a low blow."

"No way! I totally deserved it for being a gank to you!"

"Doesn't mean I had to treat you the same way, though."

"You had every right."

"Still."

"Why won't you just let me be sorry?" she whined in irritation.

His answer was a simple smirk that let her know that he'd already forgiven her; it was a look that she both loved and hated at the same time.

"I can't make things too easy for you, can I?"

Her own response was to simply roll her eyes. Moments later, the two just sat there, shrouded in more muteness, this time, the more comfortable kind. Green and blue locked in calm bliss after the tense events that had transpired between them. Portals leading to the soul each transferring the two's inner thoughts to the opposite.

"What's on your mind?" he suddenly asked, still refusing to break their impromptu stare contest.

"Nothing really..."

"Jade?" she inwardly groaned at how his tone could melt down her defenses effortlessly.

"Okay! I was thinking about the first day we met again," she narrowly hid the pink tint that washed her cheeks.

He grinned, both from her embarrassment and the aforementioned memory.

"We were two angry kids a couple of years ago."

"Now, we're just two semi-angry young adults..."

"Two young adults who are crazy in love with one another," he added slyly.

This caught Jade West off guard. "You still love me?"

"Of course!" he called out without thinking, making himself wince sharply.

"Are you okay?!" she panicked.

He nodded steadily, taking her hand in his own.

"Yeah. The pain's already starting to lessen. As for your other question: Yes, I'm still in love with you Jade," he smiled brightly. "After what we've all been through this year, I couldn't stop loving you or Tori, even if I wanted to."

"So, I'm still your monster?"

"Only if you want to be..."

Before he knew it, Liam felt something damp gracing his jawline near the open cut eliciting a soft gasp from the warmth. He tried to inhale, shivering in lustful delight at the audacity of his girlfriend, who now was licking her lips of the small traces of the copper-tasting plasma.

"Does that answer your question, tiger?"

Nodding, he slowly began to pick himself up with Jade following suit.

"You're weird..." he deadpanned, clearly trying to hide the surprising amount of pleasure that he was currently feeling.

"But, you like it too..." she took great delight in his refusal to answer. "That's why you and I click so well."

This was definitely true in Liam's mind as he contemplated his relationship with both girls. While there was a bit of complexity to the whole thing, it was still pretty easy to understand what not only drew the three together but, also what's kept their connection strong. Instantly, his mind went to the day after Trina left. It was that day that began the path to their becoming a couple... or trio... After a couple of years of isolation, they grew to become great friends and later, his needs were met.

With Jade, he was given a heightened level of excitement that he lacked ever since his first days at Hollywood Arts. However, on the opposite spectrum, Tori was the wildcard that made him rethink everything involving his future in terms of love. She was the one who kept him grounded while sharing (non-sexual) intimacy, although, the sex would come later.

It was funny how an accidental shoulder bump would result in Jade West licking his exposed wound like some blood-starved vampire.

His trip down memory lane would be cut abruptly when the pair heard the sound of a door opening. Watching intently, they were met with the sight of their olive-skinned girlfriend.

"Hey, did you tell him ye-OH MY GOSH!" she clapped her hands over her mouth at the lengthy amount of (now dried) blood plastered on Liam and the few specks that remained near the corner of her lips; of course, her smirk was on full display as well. "What happened?"

The two turned towards one another for a moment before looking back at an, understandably freaked out, Tori.

"Couples dispute?" They each shrugged, both bearing awkward grins while Tori could only shake her head.

No doubt, they were in for an earful when this was all over.

* * *

 **Thank you all for sticking around with this story for as long as you have. While I do apologize for the shortness of the chapters, I can admit that I am stretching out the content while preparing for the next big story arc. Yep, Demons Within isn't over yet. There will be, at least, one more big arc before I conclude this story.**

 **As mentioned in the last chapter, I was heavily considering throwing the gang into another big scenario that would not only challenge the group but also the strength of their friendships and relationships. After careful consideration, I'm between "Alternate Timeline Hi-Jinx" and "Jade & Tori's Destiny", the latter plunging the gang into a new world. Either way, I'll be working things with that and I'll either have that out in the next chapter or the one after. There will also be a completely new antagonist since Ahrya & Cecilia are no longer around.**

 **Hope to hear from you guys and thank you to the ones who've favorite and follow this story! I'll be sure to give a shoutout to everyone in the coming chapters as we embark on the next chapter. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed the story thus far and feel free to give some feedback or ideas on what you'd like to see or just to say "hi", I welcome it all.**

 **For now, I'm signing off for now!**

 **Love you guys and be the best you that you can be!**


	52. Chapter 47

**So, after consideration, I will be combining my other side-story into this one so that I'm not pulling double duty. I wanted to keep the two separated but, with the direction of the story, I settled on this decision. If you've already seen this chapter in the other fic, no worries. There will be added content to these chapters so it won't be the exact same thing you're used to reading.**

 **The next thing on the agenda is a massive shout-out to those who keep up and support this fiction as I couldn't have kept this going without your encouragement and reviews/private messages.**

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* * *

 **Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 47: A Demon's Kiss**

Jade sat in her car, a 2005 Chevy Impala that she was given for her 17th birthday after acquiring her license. The sounds of some metal band filled the vehicle as she pondered her next move. She didn't come to this location by chance nor was it was a mistake. She deliberately came to this place in hopes that she would find something, or rather someone, who could possibly fix things. Thank goodness she had proper a/c as the sun had been beating down on everything not covered by some form of shade.

Her sapphire orbs scanned the area for her desired target but, it was becoming that they weren't going to be found through this method. Her frustration was evident in her features as her brow seemed to furrow deeper and deeper by the minute. Driving nearly an hour from L.A. to Malibu while dealing with obnoxious traffic from locals and tourists alike, it was safe to say whoever she was searching for was going to be in for a rude reunion.

Between that and trying to beat the heat, Jade closed her eyes in hopes of calming her disturbed spirit. During her unofficial meditative state, she found her mind taking her back to the fateful moment that, in Jade's view, started this descent into personal hell.

* * *

"What do you mean Trina just disappeared?!" Liam roared in unadulterated rage.

Andre, Robbie, Ahrya, and Cat cowered but Tori seemed unfazed by his tone. "What I mean, Liam is that according to this note she wrote, Trina said she was leaving. She never specified why or where she was going. All she said is that she needed to start over and that she loved us all."

To say that he was irate would be an understatement. The last thing he remembered (all details aside) was falling asleep with Trina lying on his chest. When he woke up, he found no trace of her and wondered if she was in danger. He knew of her past and that was evidence enough for him to assume that she was in trouble. He found his way to the Vega residence along with the others riding along aside from Tori and Andre. The younger Vega sister could easily see betrayal behind his eyes. While unknowing the full extent, she did know that the two had formed a bond of friendship at least which justified his feelings. Her parents, while upset, decided against calling in the police considering she was at least 18 years old and left a note. It wasn't much and that annoyed Tori the most about all of this but she chose to direct her attention to the one person who was worried about her sister as much as she was, if not more so.

"Liam, maybe she left some sort of clue or something?" she cautiously placed a hand on his shoulder. "We can look together if you want."

He looked up at Tori Vega, unsure of what to do. Taking notice of things, she motioned for Andre and the others to give them privacy. As they left, Tori failed to remember one minor detail.

"Yo, Vega..! You're out of toilet paper..."

Jade West.

The goth girl was somehow unaware of the commotion while in the bathroom, eating a burrito.

"What was with all of that yelling?"

"Jade, not now... can you please leave?" Tori groaned. "We're kind of in the middle of something right now."

"Not until I find out what I missed out." she then took notice of the dejected form that was Liam Patterson. "What's with the bump on a log?"

"He's just upset about Trina's disappearance, okay?" she responded while flashing a look that said to 'drop the subject'.

Obviously, Jade completely missed the warning. Her attention was on devouring her double bean burrito.

"I don't know why he's so broken up over Trina?" she once more missed another 'warning', this time in the form of Liam himself slowly lifting his head towards her. "She wasn't really important. She had zero talent and nobody liked her."

In a flash, time no longer existed as everything that occurred next seemed to happen all in one second. Tori found herself shoved onto the couch and Jade ended up mounted by Liam whose eyes were like feral dogs. She had shown signs of fear a handful of times and she could add this moment to that short list as her body shivered under his grasp. He was snarling at her, his glare firmly locked onto her shifting eyes. Finding no way out, she was forced to accept whatever consequences came next. Still refusing to meet his possessed gaze, Jade was brought out of her pity party when something wet fell on her face. Making sure to move her head as slowly as possible, Jade found that he was crying. From her viewpoint, she could see more than just unbridled fury.. there was betrayal behind what was deemed to be the window to the soul.

'Interesting..' she gazed at him with empathy and understanding. "I think I understand now..."

"Understand what?" he hissed as if Jade's words were burning his insides. "How could you possibly understand the pain I'm feeling?"

"Get off of me, and I'll tell you."

Compared to her, his frame was massive and that only served to excite the girl even more, but, she had a boyfriend. Fortunately, he wasn't around to see this display of aggression but, it didn't make things easier for Jade in the least. She would thank the universe when Liam, whose entire form was shivering from the emotions rattling inside of him, released his grip and stood to his feet. Despite this, he never released the darkness shrouding his emerald crystals.

"Thanks," she brushed herself off before resting her arms on her hips. "Anyways, I get it... What you're feeling right now, that void is the product of everything you've ever felt in your life culminating in one moment. All of the hatred, betrayal, and fear, has taken you to a dark place that, while dangerous for others, is a safe haven for you. It's your way of coping with the horrors of this world..."

Tori made sure to keep a close eye on the boy next to her; she didn't know if he was subject to another outburst while Jade continued to speak. Thankfully, his gaze managed to soften a little, giving her a bit of relief for that moment. "Jade, let's give Liam a chance to calm down."

"No, Tori..." he sighed wearily, a clear sign of an adrenaline dump. "I think... I think Jade's right..." Both girls turned to him with confused expressions at his declaration. Did he just agree with Jade? "Now that I'm a bit tired from nearly mauling her, I can definitely tell that her words hold water. Ever since I could remember, I was either abused or taken advantage of. I don't even think I know what real love is, to be honest."

Though Jade watched in silence, Tori opted to dig deeper in hopes of better understanding him. "What do you mean, Liam?"

"It's just as I said," he suddenly twisted his body until he felt the softness of the couch catching his fall. "Like now, I was taken advantage of to some degree. How can I know what it is if I've never had it?"

"Hate to break that tragic imagery, but you do, dummy."

"Watch it, Jade..." he growled at the soft-skinned girl.

Rolling her eyes, she proceeded. "Look, all I'm saying is that you can't honestly believe that you know nothing about what love is." seeing him unconvinced, Jade huffed at the boy before doing something that, made Tori Vega's jaw drop, not to mention nearly caused her to pass out.

She hugged him.

Jade West actually hugged someone not named Beck, willingly. This act actually scared Liam for a second, something she relished when she felt his heartbeat hasten. The two remained this way for about half a minute before the goth pulled away, albeit reluctantly.

"Um..." his mouth and shut like fishes, which both girls would find entertaining.

"I did that to show you what I meant," she crossed her arms, though giggled softly at how his face remained stuck in a shock expression. "You've been sweet, even when others didn't deserve it. You've been a true friend to Vega's sister, even when she didn't deserve it apparently," she ignored the look of disapproval from the Latina. "You've been so nice even when I was a gank to you. You helped Vega here with her boyfriend problem..." Both stared in wide-eyed shock at the sudden revelation. "Relax, I saw the creep running off with a broken paw right before running into you."

"I think I get it, Jade..." Liam interrupted, thankful that his complexion easily hid the burning sensation on his cheeks. "Although, I never pegged you to be the one to cheer me up."

From anyone else, she would've taken that as an insult but, after noticing the light-hearted smirk, she could tell that, not only was he being sincere but, he was joking around.

"Yeah well, don't get used to it," she playfully punched his shoulder, thus solidifying the mutual respect. "I do have an image to protect, after all."

For Tori, she watched in amazement as the two began joking and playfully arguing about something involving Jade being 'soft as a marshmallow' and Liam being a 'spineless jellyfish'. Even still, she felt that this was a good result after what had happened with her now missing sister. There was only one thing that made her left twitch.

'Did they just become friends?' she blinked silently.

* * *

Thinking back to that day, the pale skinned girl couldn't help but succumb to the might of the smile tugging at her lips. That was the day she officially gained a close friend, aside from Tori and that led her to this moment. What she, or anyone else for that fact, didn't realize was that that day would be the beginning of the end for Liam's time at Hollywood Arts. for a few weeks, he became more and more secretive around the gang but, kept things civil with her and Tori until, that day.

The day he left.

A few months down the road, she decided to meet him early in the morning in the dorms for some coffee when she found several members of the group huddled into the room. After a few minutes, she would find out that Liam was transferring out to another school due to his grades slipping. She, like the others, wanted to talk him out of this but, he had said that it was already confirmed; he would go to another school on an exchange program where he could always return after the semester ended.

Nearly two years had passed since that date and Jade West would find herself doing something that didn't make any sense to her. After that day, things began to change for her and the gang. For starters, the circle began to crumble, starting with Robbie and Ahrya staying away and focusing on their relationship as opposed to the affairs of the others. Andre & Cat were relatively the same, though, the latter would come off as a bit more serious at times. It was Tori though that really got to Jade. The brunette did her best to be normal, yet, it was clear that she was hurt the most by Liam's departure...

...second to Jade herself...

After the semester ended, Jade had undergone a transformation, both on the outside and inside. Gone was her brown hair with multi-colored streaks, replaced with a dark black hue with a single color that she alternated from time to time; this time she chose blue. Her wardrobe had changed significantly as well, as she would ditch the flannel shirts in exchange for black form-fitting attire.

Internally, she was beyond conflicted with her emotions.

After Liam left, she received a message from him giving her some information on how to reach him, though, he gave her explicit instructions on who to give it out to. Moreso, he would keep contact with them but, it was clear that things wouldn't be the same between the three. For Tori, she somehow pushed through the pain and kept her grades and status up, not that she cared about the latter mind you. However, it was clear that something was off about her and only Jade figured out that the girl was numb inside. Would you still be alright if your sister left abruptly one night followed by your closet crush?

Yes, for the goth, it wasn't really a secret.

Tori Vega had developed a massive crush on Liam after some events when the two had first met officially; the day she walked in on them in one of the practice rooms. While she admitted to running into the girl's ex-boyfriend after he had rushed out of that specific room, what she kept quiet about was how she nearly caught the two sharing a kiss. Remembering her rival's first day, Jade thought it would be fun to spoil the kind gesture. In a way, she sometimes wondered if the guy would've stayed at Hollywood Arts had he and Tori shared that kiss.

"No sense in wondering," she muttered as she crossed the grounds of her destination. "I'll find him and I'm going to get answers..."

Stepping out the black car, she did her best to ignore the sweltering rays assaulting her skin while avoiding the many people in her way. Upon closer inspection, she soon realized that many of them were students who were either moving in or getting ready for the upcoming semester. It took a few minutes but, after swallowing her pride, she would ask a random girl whom she deemed the least annoying for directions to the main office to which she happily led her to. Once there, she thanked her and entered the building, grateful for the cool air that blasted her exposed skin.

"Hello, welcome to Pacific Coast Academy!" a young woman exclaimed with enough glee to make Jade want to vomit in her mouth. "How may I help you?"

"Uh..." she did her best to resist her inner gank's influence. "I'm looking for a student here. I um... have some supplies in my car that I wanted to deliver to him."

"Not a problem, I just need his and your name..."

"His name's Liam..." Jade said without hesitation. "Liam Patterson."

The woman clacked several keys before turning her full attention to the screen before her. About a minute of searching and Jade could see her sickening smile return in full effect. "Yes, I have him registered here as a returning student!" Jade sighed softly, elated that he was actually on campus and that her trip hadn't been in vain. "Now, I just need your name so I can verify with him and I'll give you the directions to his hall."

"Um... well, you see..." she bit her lip, feeling anxiety slithering around her like a python. "Y-you see... I'm bringing these things as a surprise for him. I wouldn't want to ruin that by announcing my arrival."

Slowly the woman's lips fell into a straight line, signaling a red flag for the pale skinned girl. "Well, I'm sorry. Security rules dictate that I can't authorize you without clearance from an official or the student themselves. If you know someone else here that could vouch for you, that may suffice but, I can't grant you access to the school grounds otherwise."

"B-but... I really need to give these things to him!" her voice rose an octave, her irritation growing into full-blown anger which caught the attention of a few others that were either being assisted or waiting to be. "You have to understand!"

"I'm sorry, miss..." the woman shook her head. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave until you provide the necessary information."

"But..."

"I also advise that you not make a scene... Security can be a bit rough with noncompliant guests."

Jade cut her gaze to the burly man seated in the far corner of the main office, his eyes firmly locked on her form. Tightening her lips, the raven-haired girl stomped out of the building to lick her proverbial wounds. After walking little ways from the office, she sat down on a vacant bench nearby. "Damn woman..." she huffed. "Hollywood Arts Garden is not this damn uptight... I've got to find a way to see Liam..."

"You know Liam?" a voice, foreign yet so familiar caught Jade's ear. "I could help if you'd like..."

"You can?" she turned around with a soft smile that only lasted mere seconds before her signature frown returned. "What is this, a joke?"

Before Jade stood a brown-haired girl who was staring at her with a grin. "No joke. I know the guy if that's what you're referring to."

"Cut the act, Tori!" Jade spat with a glare so dark, the devil would shit his pants. "If you're here to make fun of me for trying to find Liam, then go away."

The girl stared at her ivory-skinned accusor with a raised eyebrow. "I don't know what you're talking about, but, I'm not this Tori chick. My name's Lola!" she then cautiously held out a hand to her. "Lola Martinez."

Despite the similarities, Jade began to see that she was telling the truth. 'To think there's someone that looks just like Vega...' she shuddered at the thought. She then accepted the handshake and sighed again. "I'm sorry. You remind me of someone back home in L.A."

"It's no problem," Lola chuckled. "You're actually not the first person to tell me that."

"Let me guess; Liam thought you were her too?" the corner of Jade's lip tugged upward.

"Exactly. I don't know what she looks like but, he was so sure until I showed him my I.D. to prove my point," she took a moment to savor that memory before proceeding. "It's actually how we became friends."

"That sounds like him, alright." The two shared a laugh at Lola's depiction of him being freaked out when they first met and how he swore that he was being haunted by his decision to leave his former school. That realization made Jade feel legitimately bad for the guy as it sounded as if things were a bit rough for him to some extent. "So, you said you know him personally, right?" the girl nodded. "I was trying to find him, but I can't get past the front office without him being notified and-."

"You're trying to surprise him?" Now it was Jade's turn to nod at her words. "Well security here is a bit overwhelming sometimes, but, I may be able to get you through the clearance."

"You sure about that?"

"Well, even though we click quite well, I would need to know your name first before trying to vouch for you." her face holding a grin that Jade could've sworn had a degree of smugness. It was abundantly clear that this girl was Tori's 'twin' in appearance only.

"Jade. Jade West."

"Pleasure to meet you, Jade. Now, I just need a bit of information and we can get you through."

Skeptical, the gothic girl held her hands up. "What kind of information are we talking about?"

* * *

 **Half an Hour Later**

"Lola!" the woman nearly shrieked in elation, much to Jade's disdain. "You finally made it!"

Being smothered in a bear hug by the older woman, the Hispanic girl chuckled nervously into her shoulder. "It's good to see you too, Whitney," she then shimmied her way from the lady's grip. "How've you been this summer?"

"Marcus dumped me..." she sighed overdramatically before starting to go into hysteric-mode. "I don't what went wrong this time! We had a great few dates at the new Italian restaurant when we I mentioned that he'd make a good father one day. After that, he blocked me on his phone and on social media! I just don't know what the problem was this time..."

"It's a mystery, alright..." Jade mumbled, averting her eyes to whatever she could find interesting.

"Yeah... So, did you get my reservation request?"

"Of course! You and Zoey are going to be located in Cambridge Hall this year, though, you two are on the senior's floor so your room will be more spacious."

Lola's eyes lit up with excitement at the sound of that. "Sweet! Goodbye bunk beds! Hello solo bed!" she began to dance which brought a look of amusement to the woman, that is until her blond eyes rested on the not so pleasant sight of Jade who returned her gaze with a hard glare of her own. "Oh, you're back..."

"In living color," she taunted, wagging her eyebrows.

Sensing things about to escalate, Lola stepped in between the two. "This is my old friend, Jade," she quickly quipped. "Have you two met or something?" she feigned ignorance to their visual tug of war.

"Yeah, about half an hour ago she arrived looking for one of our students but refused to give any identification."

"Oh really? Well, she and I have been friends since middle school and she's a cool person," Lola giggled innocently. "I'll even put her in my guest file if that's good enough for you."

The stoic look from Whitney showed her that she wasn't believing a word but, there was only one way to prove that.

"Alright, I'll believe you if you can answer a few questions."

"Of course I'll-"

"Not you, Lola. I want little miss dark and spooky to answer the questions." On cue, Jade stared blankly, clearly unprepared for that turn of events. "So, what do you want to do?"

Seeing no other option, Jade shrugged. "Fine, let's do this..."

"Alright, first question: What is Lola's last name?"

Remembering their earlier meeting, Jade smirked confidently. "Martinez, duh!"

"Mhmm... What car does Lola drive?"

"That's a trick question!" Jade announced. "She doesn't have her license, yet."

Whitney cut her blue gems at a now embarrassed Lola who nudged Jade for revealing such embarrassing intel; that answer was right. There was one thing that only those who really knew Lola could answer.

"Alright, final question. Who is Lola's ex-boyfriend?"

Jade paused for a few moments, looking at the polished floor with a stumped look on her face. "Um... I believe his name was Vince, right Lola? You said you broke up with him because he kept stealing your food and making googly eyes at other girls when he thought you weren't looking?"

"Pretty much..." she huffed, crossing her arms in irritation at the unsavory memory. "I gave him a swift kick in the happy sack after he kept lying about it."

The older woman stared in disbelief at how easily this Jade West character answered all of her questions flawlessly, even getting the reasons why correctly for the third question. Even though her instincts, which were never wrong in her book, (i.e. they always were), were telling her that she was faking this all, she had no evidence that would prove that notion.

"It seems I have no choice but to allow you access to the grounds... Ms. West."

Satisfied, Jade's lips curled up at the victory; she was one step closer to finding Liam, thanks to the 'clone of Tori' standing next to her, Lola.

'This shouldn't take too long,' she figured with pride.

* * *

"That took forever..." Jade droned, her pools of blue twitching as the two trekked across the inner part of the campus. "I could've snuck past the guards in quicker time..."

To her chagrin, Lola was now openly laughing at her, serving only to increase the pained expression on her face. "I highly doubt that, Jade. It was only an hour and, now you have access to here without having to deal with Whitney anymore; Well, that's if you're within the visitation hours."

As much as she hated to admit it, the girl made a valid point; she probably wouldn't have gotten past the main area without some assistance or worse, Liam finding out she was here before she wanted him to. At least now, she was able to visit and, maybe even get a bit of a tour at some point if she wanted to hang out with Lola on occasion. After getting to know her during their short encounter, she found the girl rather interesting and actually enjoyable to be around. To Jade, she had just the right amount of weirdness without overdoing it.

"Right, I have the brochure for that," she rolled her eyes but never let her smile fall.

Soon, the two found a young man with extremely curly hair that reminded her of that nerd, Robbie Shapiro, approaching them. Unlike Robbie, what made this guy such an eye-sore to Jade was that he reeked of douchebaggery. From his cocky attitude to his poor taste in sleeveless shirts, she knew that he was the type to avoid if she wanted to get some peace around this campus.

"Hey, Lola." Jade cringed at the sound of his voice. "Fancy seeing you here."

"What's up, Logan," Even his name made Jade want to vomit right then. "We're in a hurry so hurry up."

"Nothing much, just..." his eyes finally noticed Jade's presence, followed by his grin growing. "...taking in the view."

'Oh, this guy is just asking for it...' she mentally cursed, though, maintained her cool. "Careful, that view could lead to trouble."

The final confirmation of said douchebag status came when, instead of backing away, like a normal person, he took a few steps closer to the dark girl.

"Oh, really? What kind of trouble are we talking about?"

Lola looked on in silence at what was about to unfold, hoping that her new friend wouldn't do anything to get kicked out after just getting in. To her surprise, the girl simply smiled at Logan; an odd thing to do with someone who wouldn't take a hint.

"The kind of trouble that involves cutting out your tongue and using it to banish your soul into the darkest pits of hell while my unholy master devours. He loves cocky virgins, by the way." her words, while sweet and silky smooth, were drenched in a darkness that rattled the pretty boy to his core.

Thankfully, his next response was to make up an excuse that a guy named Michael was calling him over to the basketball court. Watching him run in fear brought along another chorus of laughter from the two before they arrived at their destination: Bartholomew Hall. As expected, there were several guys entering and exiting with boxes and various items to add to their home away from home. It was at that moment that Jade West felt something that she hadn't known was there until she laid eyes on the building before her.

Worry...

In truth, she really wanted to see him again but, her reasons were not fully disclosed. While she told Lola that she and Liam were old friends from his previous high school, she purposefully left out several crucial details. One was that she and Liam's status as friends was greatly in question after an incident that ended with Jade cutting communications with him. The second detail was that she had only taken this opportunity without anyone else knowing, including Beck, her boyfriend. The last detail was probably the greatest contributor to the fear that crawled all over her body like a million bugs:

She had fallen for him a long time ago.

That's right, Jade West was also crushing on Liam long before he left for P.C.A. but whether from pride or her own fear of rejection, she kept that secret under lock and key with only one other figuring it out within the gang. Now, she stood so close and yet, felt like she was a million miles away from him. What did he look like now? Would he even want to see her after all this time? How would he react? She couldn't fathom a clear solution which only made her stomach sink even more.

"Come on, Jade!" Lola's cheerful voice pulled her from her depressing thoughts. "Liam's on the fourth floor, room 407 I believe."

For someone who was just friends, she came off as more excited to see Liam than the goth was; perhaps they were really close friends. It wasn't as farfetched as one might think considering how the brunette reacted to hearing that Jade knew him personally.

"Alright," she swallowed a lump in her throat, hardening her resolve. "Let's do this..."

* * *

While it only took a few minutes to climb the steps, even with the heavy traffic, Jade could feel her body growing heavier with each step forward. Everything in her was telling her to run and go back home. Nobody had to know that she was there and she could go back to her standard life at Hollywood Arts without anyone suspecting a thing and yet, she pressed on, following Lola Martinez to what she considered to be Pandora's Box, a sanctum forbidden for her to attempt to open and yet, as in the myth, her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

 _"Turn now!"_ he inner voice pleaded. _"He doesn't want to see you!"_

She blinked several times to block out the negativity spawning from within.

 _"He's probably miserable anyway... why add to his suffering."_

She kept going; nearly there.

 _"What if he's happy? Would you like to ruin that?"_

Jade then stopped dead in her tracks, her thoughts finally catching up to a possible reality. What if her being here messes up his happiness? Could she live with that result?

"Jade? Are you okay?" she looked up, seeing the look of concern from Lola.

"Y-yeah... I just had to catch my breath." she was lying but, it was enough for the girl to believe her. "How much farther is his room?"

"It's just around the corner actually," she gave Jade a thumbs up before continuing on. Following close behind, she ignored the stares from the guys she passed by, her only focus on the young man from her past. She soon reached the fourth floor where she saw Lola waiting to the right of her. "Took you long enough." she joked.

"Sorry, I'm not used to this many flights of stairs," she admitted. "Don't you guys believe in elevators?"

"Nah, too much money to have to fix them if they break," she tucked a bit of her hair behind her ear; another reminder of Tori. "His room is just down the hall."

Jade didn't say another word as the two approached room 407, Liam's room. Considering the others around campus, neither was surprised that the door was wide open. Peeking inside, their target was currently setting up his clothes in the closet, completely oblivious to the two pairs of eyes analyzing him. Inside, there was a lone full sized bed, greyish-blue carpet with a futon next to the closet. Along with a 50" flat screen television, there was a large dresser that had a collection of games and a PS4 system with some books stacked next to it. A few posters depicting Legend of Zelda and God of War were posted on the wall to give it some flavor but, none of that mattered to Jade.

Her eyes were glued to the occupied form of Liam Patterson, her (possibly former) friend...

Considering the nature of her getting here, Lola quietly convinced her to wait outside while she attempted to sneak up on the unsuspecting boy. Reluctant at first, she agreed though kept peeking while remaining out of sight. From what she could see, the girl would tip-toe closer, pacing herself until she was a few inches away from scaring the now kneeling Liam who was humming something. Lifting her arms, she prepared to tickle him to add to his unpreparedness.

"Don't even think about it, Lola..."

She stopped dead in her tracks, groaning at being caught. "How do you keep doing that?" she pouted.

His response was twisting his body and picking up the girl who shrieked playfully at his swiftness. "You're too predictable, girl," he laughed before spinning her around, thus adding to her amused terror. "You keep using the same tricks while expecting to get a different result."

Finally, he put her down only to be met with a sour-faced Lola. "You could at least let me win, you know?"

"Hmmm...?" he tapped his chin thoughtfully before shaking his head. "Nope, that's spoiling you, don't you agree?"

Lola, for the most part, would've loved to keep the conversation going, but, she knew that she wasn't just there for her own reasons. "Mhmm sure..." she poked his chest. "Oh, I met someone who says they know you!"

Liam raised an eyebrow, partly from intrigue but, mostly in confusion. "You did? Who would that be?" Unfortunately, she didn't give a direct response, choosing instead to let him find out himself.

"Okay, you can come in," she called to her.

Hearing a deep breath, Liam watched the lone entrance/exit and was rewarded for his patience with the appearance of a familiar blue-eyed girl from his past. His lips parted at the sudden sight of Jade West in his dorm room.

"Jade?" his face, outside of a shocked expression, was a mystery to the goth who did her best to form a smile.

"Hey, Liam," she wiggled her fingers as a weak form of a wave.

Seeing their matching expressions, Lola realized that there was some form of history between Jade and Liam, a history that she would've inquired more about herself but, that idea would have to be put on hold when her phone went on. Checking it, she found that it was her roommate, Zoey calling.

"I have to check on my room with Zoey." she batted her eyelashes, almost in a romantic way. "I'll catch you later on tonight at Sushi Rox?"

"It's a date," he chuckled at her mock attempt at pouting before receiving a soft kiss on his cheek as gratitude.

"Until then, Wolfy..." Lola winked. As Jade looked on, she blinked several times at the scene playing out in front of her when she noticed Lola passing her by. "See ya later, Jade."

"Y-yeah, see you around, Lola." she put on a smile for the girl until she disappeared from view. That was when everything settled in her mind as she felt a gaze locked onto her. Turning her head, she searched for a way to shatter this unnerving feeling that gripped her. "Wolfy?"

"It's her nickname for me..." his voice grew calm and unreadable.

"I'm just saying, tiger," she noticed a slight shudder from his solid build after reciting her nickname for him. "Of all the names to give, who on earth would give out such a corny nickname?"

She watched as he crossed his arms, not entertained in the slightest at her wise-crack.

"My girlfriend..."

* * *

 **While Lola was a construct in the earlier chapters, she is, in fact, canon now. I wanted to use her as an actual character but, with the way things turned out, it wouldn't have worked out well. Instead, I'm introducing her officially here as an alternate to Tori, and there is a good explanation for this happening as we move forward with our story arc.** **While it's obvious that this is an alternate timeline, the big question is, whose is it?**

 **Below is just the character list based off of alternate timeline's story.**

 **Main Characters (thus far):**

 **Liam Patterson:**

 **After finding out that Trina ran away, after sharing their first time with each other, a betrayed Liam decided that he no longer wanted to stay in a city that continued to destroy his outlook on the world. He chooses to transfer, winding up in PCA where it is learned that he encountered Zoey and the gang at some point. This is definitely true with Lola Martinez, whom he initially mistakes for Tori at first. After that awkward encounter, it is revealed that the two have become an item at some point. With a new semester looming in a month, he finds himself thrust back into the uncertainty of his past: the return of Jade West.**

 **Lola Martinez:**

 **Shortly after he transferred to PCA, Lola meets Liam at some point where the two share an awkward encounter with one another. Eventually, they form a strong friendship that, sometime later, form a romantic relationship. She happened to run into Jade West after overhearing her mentioning Liam and helped her get onto the campus grounds. After getting to know her, but, also seeing her boyfriend's reaction to her, it's safe to say that Lola will be keeping a close eye on the goth.**

 **Not much is known about her besides that thus far, but her role will be fleshed out more as the story progresses.**

 **Jade West:**

 **After finding out that her friend, Liam was leaving Hollywood, Jade, at some point, fell out with the young boy. After over a year of no communication, Jade went looking for him, while keeping her mission a secret from Beck, Tori, and the others. She tried to get in once she found a lead on his location but struggled to get inside until she met Lola, whom she also mistook for Tori Vega. The two eventually worked out the 'kinks' with that and soon, Jade was given access to PCA as a registered guest. Conflicted with her actions, she finds that her lead was true as she prepares the fateful encounter. The big question is: Why has she returned to Liam's life?**


	53. Chapter 48

**Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

"Okay, you can come in," she called to her.

Hearing a deep breath, Liam watched the lone entrance/exit and was rewarded for his patience with the appearance of a familiar blue-eyed girl from his past. His lips parted at the sudden sight of Jade West in his dorm room.

"Jade?" his face, outside of a shocked expression, was a mystery to the goth who did her best to form a smile.

"Hey, Liam," she wiggled her fingers as a weak form of a wave.

Seeing their matching expressions, Lola realized that there was some form of history between Jade and Liam, a history that she would've inquired more about herself but, that idea would have to be put on hold when her phone went on. Checking it, she found that it was her roommate, Zoey calling.

"I have to check on my room with Zoey." she batted her eyelashes, almost in a romantic way. "I'll catch you later on tonight at Sushi Rox?"

"It's a date," he chuckled at her mock attempt at pouting before receiving a soft kiss on his cheek as gratitude.

"Until then, Wolfy..." Lola winked. As Jade looked on, she blinked several times at the scene playing out in front of her when she noticed Lola passing her by. "See ya later, Jade."

"Y-yeah, see you around, Lola." she put on a smile for the girl until she disappeared from view. That was when everything settled in her mind as she felt a gaze locked onto her. Turning her head, she searched for a way to shatter this unnerving feeling that gripped her. "Wolfy?"

"It's her nickname for me..." his voice grew calm and unreadable.

"I'm just saying, tiger," she noticed a slight shudder from his solid build after reciting her nickname for him. "Of all the names to give, who on earth would give out such a corny nickname?"

She watched as he crossed his arms, not entertained in the slightest at her wise-crack.

"My girlfriend..."

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 48: Lost & Found**

Jade plainly stood there, pools of sapphire flashing with a spark that, if left unchecked, threatened to burn down anything in her path. In this instance, that meant the guy standing a few feet apart from her would be the receiver of her impassioned time bomb. Their joint silence only made the ambiance around them so much more plain.

"Your girlfriend?"

It wasn't the best way to restart a broken conversation, but, she didn't care at the moment; all that mattered now was her ability to understand the situation. Sure, she would be a fool to believe that he couldn't have found someone, yet, she never expected him to wind up with someone that looked so much like the Latina back in L.A. It was safe to say that this was going to make for an interesting story, if they make it far enough.

On his end, Liam was just trying to process the image of his (dare he use the word former) friend in his dorm room. After a year or so, things had taken a rather confusing turn and now, it seemed that complication had resurfaced.

"Yes, my girlfriend..." he crossed his arms, his eyes glimmering with something that only made Jade grow more nervous as the seconds ticked by.

She fought through the swamp inside of her stomach and clenched her fists tightly. "It's good to see you again."

"Jade," he cut her off, his tone reminding the girl of their pre-established status. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

If she didn't know any better, Jade could've sworn she'd heard a small amount of wonder in his voice combined with the seriousness that he noticeably portrayed.

"Straight to the point," she grinned for a split second but dropped the act once she caught a glimpse of his wolf-like gaze firmly tracking her every move. It was like those emerald spheres were penetrating deep into her soul, reading the story that was her life. "I umm... I came here looking for you, alright?"

"That goes without saying..." he smirked confidently. "But, that still doesn't answer my question, Jade."

He watched as she bit her lip, almost contemplating whether she should just blow off the question entirely. It wouldn't shock him if she did, given her personality. What did catch him off guard was what came next.

"Tori..."

"What about Tori?" he asked in confusion. "You're not making sense..."

"She misses you... We all do," she admitted amidst the apparent defeat on her profile. "Things haven't been the same since you left. I er- I mean, we haven't heard from you and I was nominated to come to find you."

"You're lying..." he said quietly as he plopped in a nearby chair.

"Wha? What do you know?!" despite her best effort, her voice came off with desperation than offense.

"It's written in your eyes Jade..." his own voice, now somber and tranquil, became the perfect foil to her exasperated tone. "If I had to take a guess, I'd wager that nobody knows you're here, do they?"

Silence.

Jade West found herself leaning against the wooden door frame as her heart felt like it was beating in her throat. This wasn't a reunion, it was an interrogation. This was something that, while she might desperately need, she very well knew this wasn't what she wanted. Like a wicked serpent, she felt her own sense of pride begin to slither around her, seducing her back to the ways of old, when she ruled the halls of Hollywood Arts.

She was no child and she refused to be treated as such; not by him or anyone else for that matter.

"I don't have to answer that..." she turned up her nose before turning to leave. "I'm out of here. See ya never..."

"Fine," he shrugged casually. "If you really expect me to believe that you chose to drive 40+ miles just to insult someone you haven't seen in over a year, then you've reached a new level of pathetic."

There it was, the trigger had been pulled and the shot fired.

Turning around, Jade took in the collected boy on the other side of the room, his down to earth reaction now proving to be a major thorn in her side.

"What did you just call me?"

* * *

Lola rushed through the building, narrowly dodging the other students with masterful precision until she arrived at her address. Arriving on the third floor, she managed to bump into someone just as she turned the corner.

"Ow!" she groaned once her lower half met with the floor.

"Oops, sorry Lola!" a blond haired girl cupped her mouth with wide-eyed terror.

The Hispanic girl massaged her sore rear before getting to her feet. "That's alright, Zoey. I should've been watching where I was going."

Soon, the two were snickering about the event that just ensued, though something had Zoey Brooks attention.

"Why were you in such a rush anyway?" she crossed her arm over her chest. "I simply wanted to ask which of the full beds you wanted to take. You didn't have to run all the way over here."

"I know, but," Lola rubbed the back of her neck, clearly occupied with something else a little more pressing in her head. "I just came from Liam's room and..."

"Seriously? Sometimes, I think you're more obsessed with boys than Nicole!" she joked, though it seemed that her friend wasn't amused with her humor. "Alright, what's wrong?"

"Well, for starters, I haven't seen him since vacation started since he chose to stay on campus while we all went home." she rolled her eyes, the faintest hint of a smirk answering the first question before her lips fell once again. "And... well, I ran into someone today..."

"Another guy?" Zoey gasped. She then seized the brunette's wrist and led her to their quarters, shutting the door to give themselves some solitude. "Lola, tell me you're not thinking of-?"

"No, it was a girl," she shook her head.

"Wait, you like chicks now?"

"ZOEY!" she squealed. "Listen, on my way here, I ran into a girl who said she knew Liam and I think I know where she might be from his old school. She seemed like a cool person but, after seeing them come face to face, I think something might be up."

"So, you think they used to date?" Zoey made sure to use caution with her question.

"I don't think so, she only mentioned that they used to be friends and there didn't seem to be any tension romantically, at least from what I could pick up." she began digging in her brown locks, clearly upset by the situation at hand. "He never mentioned dating anyone other than that one girl that broke his heart some years ago. Outside of that, he never spoke about his past in L.A. unless it was vague."

Thinking to herself, Zoey began to pace which only made Lola more anxious as she surveyed the blond girl's movements.

"Okay, so, this random girl pops up at PCA and she says she knows Liam, correct?" A nod of confirmation. "Liam's never spoken about her directly but, it seems that they know each other personally, based on their interactions, right?" Another nod. "Lastly, while you can't confirm it, you think that there might be some history between them to warrant suspicion of her now?"

"Yeah, but, where are you going with this, Zo?"

"Well, I think first and foremost, you leaving them alone was a bad move. I mean, if they did have a thing or some kind of romantic connection, you might have given them the green light to do just that."

Hearing this, Zoey Brooks noticed the fierce glare from her normally upbeat best friend. "Liam wouldn't do that! I can't speak for that girl, but I know for certain that he is loyal!"

Hands up, she withstood the initial burst of anger and backed away slowly.

"Look, all I'm saying is that in any regard, we should probably get back to the dorm immediately," she suggested in hopes of drawing the girl's wrath onto someone else. A furious Lola Martinez was not something she enjoyed seeing, even less if said fury was directed at her.

To Zoey's relief, her roommate agreed and, without another word stomped passed her with determination flashing in her now dark brown eyes.

* * *

"Do you care to repeat that?" Jade's voice pierced the thickness of the atmosphere surrounding the estranged friends.

"You heard me quite clearly," he leaned in his seat, not a care in the world to be found on his face. "Unless you've suddenly gone deaf now too."

A bitter laugh passes her lips, her optics registering every detail of the boy. "That's big noise coming from a guy who fled to another school after having his heart crushed."

"Better than staying in a relationship with an emotionless tool, right?"

"At least I have someone..."

"So do I...!"

"Do you really think that girl is anything worth boasting about?"

"Watch your mouth, Jade."

"Or else what?"

At this point, both of them had felt something that neither had felt since the day they met, intimacy. It wasn't the intimacy that one would associate with romance, but, it was one that sparked their friendship. Neither knew it per se, but both were reimagining the day they first met; from their verbal war to them both expertly drawing their weapons, a hunter's knife and scissors respectively.

It was a bittersweet moment, but a crucial one that planted the seeds that would blossom into a true friendship. The weirdest thing was that neither Jade nor Liam had any idea that the blossom would sprout on this very day.

The room filled with laughter that forced them to sit down on the plush floor beneath them. For Jade, it was a much-needed antidote for what she'd been through. Liam, on the other hand, had to admit that it was nice to see someone from his past and that it turns out to be a delightful occasion.

"Just like old times, huh?" he heard her force out through her attempts to regain her breath.

"Except, there's no Lane to send us to the office." he sighed just long enough to acquire enough air to fuel his second round of hilarity.

For the next few minutes, the two would continue to let out their expression of amusement until both could feel the time catching up with them. Now reduced to low chortles, Liam sat up, still clutching his stomach, and sighed softly.

"It really is good to see you, Jade," he wiped a single tear, the last visible remnant of his humorous endeavor. "Whether you believe me or not, I mean that."

Due to her complexion, Jade could do little to hide the sudden flush of her cheeks. "W-well, I'm content to hear that."

"I could tell by the way you were laughing hysterically..." he muttered emotionlessly.

"Okay, so, I'm happy I got to see you as well." she huffed playfully. "Better?"

Looking at the ceiling, Liam's smirk returned in full effect.

"A little," he admitted. "But, I have something's I really need to ask you but, I need you to be honest with me."

Not sure where he was going with that, Jade gave him an uneven smile. "Sure, whatever."

"No, Jade," for the first time, his gaze grew dark, giving the goth a reason to visibly gulp. "I need you to be completely honest with me. That means, no lies, no double meanings, and no changing the subject."

She considered these terms for a few seconds, trying to figure out where he was going with all of this. It was possible that he might want to get something out of her about the gang or maybe, just maybe, Liam wanted to gather some intel about her that she'd otherwise be opposed to revealing? Her mind settled on making the latter idea an amusing thought at best.

"What's in it for me?" if he didn't know any better, her eyes had grown more feline-like, seducing azure crystals subtly entrancing him while challenging his position on the high ground. "What do I get for my unadulterated honesty?"

His eyes bulged so much they looked like billiard balls. "We both know I'm not jumping in that rabbit hole." Liam then discerned what he could tell to be the distant sign of a grin tugging at the right corner of her lips, urging him to realize that she was messing with him. "Very funny," he droned, not happy that he'd fallen for such an elementary prank.

"You have to admit, I still got the stuff," she blew her nails with a level of superiority that only Liam, and a small group of others, would understand. "But, I really need some collateral if I'm to just pour out my soul without question."

"Then I promise to give you the same thing, you can ask me anything and I'll answer truthfully. Deal?"

He extended his hand to her, the first attempt at physical interaction, to which she accepted without hesitation. Sure, they both knew the other could be hiding plenty, but they also accepted that, with the right phrasing, they could get a lot of information with minimum effort.

"Deal."

* * *

Zoey and Lola made their way from Cambridge to Bartholomew Hall, the latter leading the charge. In the midst of their journey, they would run into both Quinn & Michael who was carrying (actually struggling to carry) one of the girl's many computers.

"Hey girls! What's the hurry?" the intellectual waved at the two.

While Lola passed by without a word, Zoey briefly explained the situation to them, all while the African-American boy's legs were buckling under the weight of the unusually large monitor. After giving the abridged version, Zoey told the two to hurry and meet them at the dorm asap just as she raced off, hoping to catch up with her friend.

* * *

"Alright, I'll start. Honestly, how did you find me?" For Liam, this was probably the most immediate question for him to ask. Sure, there were other questions for him to bring up but he'd settle on getting the simplest one out of the way first.

"I got a tip from a post on TheSlap back home where someone had posted a picture of themselves at a jazz club." he remained silent, but never dropped his eye contact. "At first, I didn't think anything of it, that is until I noticed the guy singing on stage. While I wasn't sure, I had to admit that the resemblance was uncanny and so, I messaged the guy and convinced him to put the location of where he took that picture..." she then saw that he had an eyebrow raised, showing his unconvinced expression. "...okay, so I threatened him to tag the location. After seeing it was Malibu, I checked out every school there and found that this place had a long-standing and competitive relationship with Hollywood Arts. I did a bit more digging, and later found that there were a few Liams on the student roster and then I decided to take a chance to see if you were here."

To say that he was amazed at her efforts would have been an understatement as he just sat there slackjawed.

"You came all this way, just on a hunch that I'd be here..." he rubbed his scruffy chin. "But, why?"

"I believe it's my turn to ask you a question?" she teased. Resisting the urge to face-palm himself, Liam complied with the rules established. "Good, now since you asked me an easy question, I guess it's fair I do the same. How did you end up with Vega 2.0?"

This time, there was no reserve as he smashed his palm into his forehead with an audible pop that made even Jade West cringe a bit. It was at that exact instant when she began to take in the features of her friend.

"Not funny..." he crossed his arms. "To be honest, it wasn't so grand at first," he managed to slip his arms behind his head recounting the memories. "When we first met, I swore she was Tori for nearly a week before she hauled off and slapped me. Then, as luck would have it, we ended up being partnered up in a biology class where we began to bond over science projects and by mid-terms that year, we became good friends." Jade didn't miss the goofy grin that began to split his face but said nothing. "For the next year or so, we spent some time together and she even introduced me to some of her friends who welcomed me to the school and made me feel at home..."

"Okay, but that doesn't explain how you and that Lola girl wound up as a couple."

"Right..." he chuckled nervously. "Well, it happened at the end of last school year, at the schools Sadie Hawkins Dance. Without going into too much detail, we shared a dance or two when she got stood up by some jackass... During the second dance, I started looking at Lola in a way that, I don't think I had with anyone else since Trina." his smile grew a bit more as he visualized the moment as if it were yesterday. "Contrary to what you might think, I didn't see her as someone resembling Tori, but, as her own person. Lola had, in my opinion, this gorgeous smile and dazzling eyes that shined brighter than any star over us that night. I can't tell you how many times, I felt myself getting lost in them."

Feeling a bit sick from the mushy talk, Jade pushed his shoulder, thankful that he came back from the cloud he'd been sitting on in his mind. "Earth to Liam, reel it back in..." she smirked.

"Hehe, Sorry..." he rubbed his sweaty palms together to shake off the effects of his past encounter. "After that, I gathered the courage to ask her out and, soon we went on our first date."

"Great story man," Jade then slowly applauded. "I think you've earned an Oscar."

"S-shut up!" he erupted into another laugh. "Like it or not, that's what happened. But I believe it's my turn again."

"Yeah?" she tucked some of her raven colored hair behind her left ear. "What about it?"

"It's really a two-part question but it could be the last one I need to ask." This intrigued Jade enough to lean forward. "Part one: Does anyone know you're here or, more specifically, does Beck know you're here?"

"I don't know what you're driving at, but no, neither Beck nor the other's know I'm here. They're all on some trip to the beach while Beck's in Canada with his family for the next few weeks before school starts."

Jade could see that her answer was satisfactory as Liam made no further inquiries about that half of his inquest.

"Alright, part two: What's been going on with you two?"

For the first time since their reconciliation, Jade felt a sense of dread creep up from her core. "I don't know what you're talking about, Liam. Beck and I are still together if that's what you're getting at." Her defensiveness was all the proof he needed to confirm an itch that had been bothering him since seeing her arrive with his girlfriend earlier.

From her sudden change in tone to the nature in which she tried to dodge the true direction of his inquiry, he needed no final piece of evidence to justify his reasons.

"Jade, we both know what I meant. Stop trying to duck the real subject and tell me."

Feeling her pride resurface anew, she narrowed her eyes, blue flames dancing behind those orbs that dared him to push further. "Why should I tell you about something about my relationship with Beck?"

"You asked me, right?"

"Because it was part of the game!"

"...And it's still my turn..."

"Why are you so fixated on me and Beck?"

"Because, I know what he is!" he roared, ignoring the random stares from the few boys that traveled the halls.

Seeing Jade fight him tooth and nail over this had dragged him to a place he hadn't been to since the day after Trina Vega disappeared. He hated this feeling, his insides boiling with rage due to someone he cares about.

"I'm not her, Liam..." she whispered, all of her bravado disappearing in an instant. "I'm not Trina; I can handle myself."

She looked down at the carpet, refusing to meet his gaze; oh how she loved and hated that look in his eyes when he got like this. His green eyes would flash with understanding and determination, while at the same time, helplessness. She didn't need that though; she was Jade Fucking West after all.

"Jade..."

"It's my turn..." she couldn't let him get anything more momentum against her. There was something about him that reminded her of her childhood, back when things were simple and she was full of innocence. Unfortunately, she had no use for thoughts like that, nor anything that plagued her with sentiments of that nature. "Did you really leave because of Trina, or was there something else; Something that you didn't tell us?"

For what felt like an eternity, Liam remained quiet. His lips twisted in several directions. tasting and judging the quality of the question like fine wine. Still, he couldn't give a simple answer to that, she wouldn't believe him anyway, so he stood to his feet, heading to his laptop.

After a series of clacking keys, and clicking the mouse attached to the device, he motioned for Jade to accompany him. While hesitant, she silently obliged seeing him logging into his old account on. Her eyebrows knitted close together, she watched as he headed into private inbox only to settle on the most recent message thread.

One that was sent by Beck the night before he decided to transfer.

It was then that he allowed her the full freedom to read everything that was sent between the two. From Beck's early threats during his arrival to Hollywood Arts all the way to that night and from what Jade read, she couldn't deny the truth any longer.

"You're joking..." her voice, a ghost of its former glory. "You can't be serious."

"It seems our questions, have the exact same answer, Jade." He didn't look at her but, he could tell that she was shaking her head, still finding it hard to believe the revelation before her. "Beck blackmailed me into leaving Hollywood Arts. He claimed that Trina leaving was my fault and that he refused to let me take you away from him. After some back and forth, he threatened to hurt you if I didn't leave school."

Soon, droplets began to form in Jade's eyes, a sight most would find foreign to them. Her perception expressing what her heart was currently enduring, they two understood where things would lead. To avoid making another scene, Liam approached her and, with a gaze of understanding, he put on the best smile he could.

"Jade, I can see the bruise under your eye," his voice trembled at the horror on one of his dearest friend's face. "Did he do this to you?"

A nod; that's all she could muster before finally breaking down completely in his arms. Her body convulsed softly while he wrapped her in his arms, showing Jade that he was here for her. He wouldn't ask anymore, she didn't need that right now. All that mattered was that the two had, somehow begun rebuilding the bridge of their friendship and he was going to ensure that nobody would tear that down again.

He took a moment to look down at her, more specifically the mark of pain that had been inflicted by Beck Oliver, who was fortunate to be as far as he was at the time. His heart sank as the flowing drops revealed more of the dark ring of abuse. Admittedly, she did well in hiding it with make-up, but he couldn't be fooled. He noticed it the second he saw her. The slight increase in size just under her eye was something he spotted with ease due to his own past dealings with being abused.

For now, he swore that he'd make things right, not just with Jade, but with the others as well.

* * *

Meanwhile, just outside his dorm, Lola & Zoey had been listening to the heartfelt encounter between her boyfriend and Jade. They both felt bad for eavesdropping, but, thought it was necessary to find out both party's intentions. Eventually, they'd heard enough but, chose to remain in hopes of gathering a bit more information on the two.

While it was seen as normal for them to have limited knowledge about this gothic girl, Liam could be seen as a form of an enigma. Throughout his time with them, and the others in their inner circle, they managed to get him to open up about practically anything other than his personal life at his former high school.

Now, they find out that his leaving was really a misguided act of chivalry? Zoey could feel a new level of admiration and understanding while Lola was rather conflicted by this newly collected information. To her, she felt like her connection to Liam was nothing more than an accident.

'Was Liam and I actually meant to be?' she thought to herself. "Or was I really a consolation for this girl?' Considering those two prospects, she nearly missed the remains of the conversation. From hearing the broken sounds of Jade to the comforting words of Liam, she knew that there was nothing to fear involving the pair.

"Jade, I'm not leaving PCA, nor will I jeopardize my relationship with Lola, but, I will try and help you through this thing." they overheard him say, somehow feeling the warmth of his words cover them as well. "I'll talk to the front desk tomorrow about getting you here as a guest and you'll be able to visit anytime you're able, that is, if you give me a heads up." he chuckled.

The two then decided to make their appearance known to the duo, no longer feeling comfortable with listening in on an intimate conversation.

* * *

Liam looked up from his embrace with Jade to see a smiling Zoey, and an obscure looking Lola entering his room. Given the looks of things, he figured that she'd be suspicious of his actions and did his best to tell her that it wasn't what it looked like only to notice her lips curling upward steadily; This was her way of letting him know she understood.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Zoey was the one to break the peaceful silence, forcing Jade to pull away from Liam as if touching him had burned her. Instinctively, she turned away, facing the window in hopes of covering up the fact that she'd been crying.

"Yeah, we're alright," he smiled stiffly. "Just having a heart-to-heart is all."

"Are you sure that's all, Wolfy?" Lola frowned softly, though there was a gleam in her eye that didn't go unnoticed by Jade who peered over her shoulder. "Or is there something you're not telling me?

Given what just transpired, Liam was in no position to decipher whether she was joking or serious. He held his hands up as his brain went into shutdown mode. Amidst his muttering, he would get his response in the form of both blond and brunette laughing hysterically at his plight. Soon, Jade would find herself joining in the comical-fest as she giggled softly herself.

"Oh, ha-ha..." he deadpanned. "Very funny..."

"It is," Jade pointed at his bothered face. "It's beyond hilarious!" Suddenly, all of the laughter aside from her own ceased. Looking confused, Jade could see the dumbfounded looks on both girl's faces. "What?"

"What happened to your face?" Zoey gasped.

Jade simply stared at them both until she realized something rather important. She'd been crying (that was obvious) which meant that her eyes would probably be red from doing so. What didn't catch her thinking until this exact moment, was that she'd been wearing makeup to cover up the mark left by her 'beloved' boyfriend.

While Liam simply sighed in resignation, she immediately turned around to hide the grotesque bruise.

"I should go..." she muttered.

"NO!" the three yelled simultaneously, causing the goth to jump slightly at their unified outcry.

"That wouldn't be a good idea," Lola exclaimed. "If anyone sees you like that, they're bound to ask questions and what do you think will happen after that?"

"They'll assume I caused trouble and kick me out..." Jade surmised. "Either that, or they'll blame Liam since they know I came to see him. Neither of us wants that, I'm sure."

Liam simply sat on his bed, pondering their options. "Do either you two have anything that can cover that up without looking suspicious?" Unfortunately, they both shook their heads. "Damn, so what can we do? I have to finish setting up the room and I don't think the RA will be pleased to find a girl in here overnight."

The room fell silent once more, a recurring theme for them as it seemed. Jade had no idea what to do since her makeup kit was in her car, outside of the school campus. Lola began pacing the floor, growing more anxious with each step she took. An exhausted Liam did his best to come up with an idea, but nothing he came up with would be viable without someone seeing his friend's injured eye.

This left Zoey, who'd been relatively calm, all things considered.

"I think I have an idea, but..." everyone turned their attention to her. "Jade, you may not be receptive to it."

The ivory skinned girl gazed, puzzled at Zoey while Liam and Lola would turn to one another, each exchanging unsure glances.

"Look, whatever idea you have, it's better than waiting around and possibly getting you all in trouble. Whatever the risk, I'm willing to take."

Pulling out her phone, she dialed a number and flashed one more look, as if to ask: Are you sure? Expectedly, Jade nodded and soon, the call was placed. Several rings later, they all heard a voice that was familiar to the trio but, clearly unknown to the dark-haired girl.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Quinn..." Zoey responded nervously. "Can you meet me in Liam's dorm? We need you to bring something that can cover up a bruise."

* * *

 **Main Characters (thus far)**

 **Liam Patterson:**

 **After finding out that Trina ran away, after sharing their first time with each other, a betrayed Liam decided that he no longer wanted to stay in a city that continued to destroy his outlook on the world. He chooses to transfer, winding up in PCA where it is learned that he encountered Zoey and the gang at some point. This is definitely true with Lola Martinez, whom he initially mistakes for Tori at first. After that awkward encounter, it is revealed that the two have become an item at some point. With a new semester looming in a month, he finds himself thrust back into the uncertainty of his past: the return of Jade West.**

 **After an initial argument, they both seem to settle things enough after, unintentionally, recreating the day they nearly killed each other. After a fit of laughter, they engage in an emotional back and forth that finally explained a little bit of why she came to PCA looking for him. As the conversation progressed, Liam & Jade seem to have rekindled their friendship, all while managing to avoid any misunderstandings with Lola and Zoey.**

 **Lola Martinez:**

 **Shortly after he transferred to PCA, Lola meets Liam at some point where the two share an awkward encounter with one another. Eventually, they form a strong friendship that, sometime later, form a romantic relationship. She happened to run into Jade West after overhearing her mentioning Liam and helped her get onto the campus grounds. After getting to know her, but, also seeing her boyfriend's reaction to her, it's safe to say that Lola will be keeping a close eye on the goth.**

 **It is later discovered that she and Liam became a couple after a school dance (more will be elaborated on in due time). Despite her reservations, she would find that Jade posed no threat to her and settled on her first impression of the girl. Now, with Zoey, she's looking to help out her new friend with the help of Quinn Pensky.**

 **Jade West:**

 **After finding out that her friend, Liam was leaving Hollywood, Jade, at some point, fell out with the young boy. After over a year of no communication, Jade went looking for him, while keeping her mission a secret from Beck, Tori, and the others. She tried to get in once she found a lead on his location but struggled to get inside until she met Lola, whom she also mistook for Tori Vega. The two eventually worked out the 'kinks' with that and soon, Jade was given access to PCA as a registered guest. Conflicted with her actions, she finds that her lead was true as she prepares the fateful encounter.**

 **She would explain her actions to Liam, after some verbal warfare that resulted in an emotional breakdown and revelation of their shared connection with Jade's boyfriend, Beck Oliver. While Liam had always known the truth since his departure, Jade was stunned to find out that his leaving had little to do with Trina Vega but her significant other. After a tearful embrace, she can rest easy (to some degree) knowing that her bond with Liam is still intact after not speaking for years.**

 **Zoey Brooks**

 **While having the least to do personally so far, Zoey is responsible for Liam and Lola formally meeting after his arrival at PCA. She even introduced him to the other members of her friendship circle which opened the door for him to start a new life. Throughout his time there, she tried to get him to open up about his past but only succeeded in getting tidbits and general information about his life before PCA. Now, she has a better understanding after eavesdropping on his and Jade's discussion about their past connection.**

 **She now seems to handle the role of "Voice of Reason" very well as she had the most level-headed resolve out of the four so far, even coming up with the idea of bringing in their good friend, albeit reluctantly, Quinn Pensky.**


	54. Chapter 49

**Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

"It is," Jade pointed at his bothered face. "It's beyond hilarious!" Suddenly, all of the laughter aside from her own ceased. Looking confused, Jade could see the dumbfounded looks on both girl's faces. "What?"

"What happened to your face?" Zoey gasped.

Jade simply stared at them both until she realized something rather important. She'd been crying (that was obvious) which meant that her eyes would probably be red from doing so. What didn't catch her thinking until this exact moment, was that she'd been wearing makeup to cover up the mark left by her 'beloved' boyfriend.

While Liam simply sighed in resignation, she immediately turned around to hide the grotesque bruise.

"I should go..." she muttered.

"NO!" the three yelled simultaneously, causing the goth to jump slightly at their unified outcry.

"That wouldn't be a good idea," Lola exclaimed. "If anyone sees you like that, they're bound to ask questions and what do you think will happen after that?"

"They'll assume I caused trouble and kick me out..." Jade surmised. "Either that, or they'll blame Liam since they know I came to see him. Neither of us wants that, I'm sure."

Liam simply sat on his bed, pondering their options. "Do either you two have anything that can cover that up without looking suspicious?" Unfortunately, they both shook their heads. "Damn, so what can we do? I have to finish setting up the room and I don't think the RA will be pleased to find a girl in here overnight."

The room fell silent once more, a recurring theme for them as it seemed. Jade had no idea what to do since her makeup kit was in her car, outside of the school campus. Lola began pacing the floor, growing more anxious with each step she took. An exhausted Liam did his best to come up with an idea, but nothing he came up with would be viable without someone seeing his friend's injured eye.

This left Zoey, who'd been relatively calm, all things considered.

"I think I have an idea, but..." everyone turned their attention to her. "Jade, you may not be receptive to it."

The ivory skinned girl gazed, puzzled at Zoey while Liam and Lola would turn to one another, each exchanging unsure glances.

"Look, whatever idea you have, it's better than waiting around and possibly getting you all in trouble. Whatever the risk, I'm willing to take."

Pulling out her phone, she dialed a number and flashed one more look, as if to ask: Are you sure? Expectedly, Jade nodded and soon, the call was placed. Several rings later, they all heard a voice that was familiar to the trio but, clearly unknown to the dark-haired girl.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Quinn..." Zoey responded nervously. "Can you meet me in Liam's dorm? We need you to bring something that can cover up a bruise."

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 49: Silver Lining**

Quinn Pensky wasted little time heading over to meet Zoey in the senior boy's dormitory after their short conversation. After having Michael set up her large monitor, she gathered everything she felt necessary to fix what she considered to be a trivial issue. In her opinion, she felt her intelligence was being taken as a farce for a situation that could easily be taken care of with some mascara or blush but, she agreed to use her genius to solve the issue to quell her friend's worry.

"I could be picking up on my research black hole particles and multiverse theory or working on my miniature cold fusion reactor," she grumbled while stomping up the stairs. Finally, she'd arrive at Liam's dorm, her special briefcase in tow. "Alright, guys... What's this big-?" she stopped in her tracks when she noticed the somber atmosphere that filled the room. In the far left sat Lola who managed to pull her gaze away to spot the brainy girl, her eyes full of hope as a small smile began to form on her lips. "Problem?" Scanning the room, she quickly noticed the odd girl sitting on the side of her male friend's bed. Seeing the goth, Quinn viewed the harsh reality of why she was summoned.

"Quinn!" her eyes blinked several times as she adjusted her gaze towards the relieved blond. "Finally, you made it."

"Yeah, um... sorry it took so long?" she forced a smile though it did little to hide the suspicion swirling around her. She was fortunate that everyone was too concerned with the status of the mysterious girl to notice her demeanor as she continued to analyze the young woman who refused to meet her calculating eye. From the looks of things, Quinn Pensky discerned that the pale girl was a victim of some degree of abuse, given her slumped posture. Her eyes, whirlpools of blue faded and downcast, revealed to the scholar that she was indeed suffering some form of physical pain. Upon further evaluation, she settled on the fact that she'd have to receive some answers before proceeding further. "Alright, I need you three to go," her voice, calm and airy, yet, filled with a seriousness not normally exhibited by the logical student.

Confused, and a bit defensive, Liam finally stood to his feet. "What's wrong, Quinn? Is Jade going to be alright?"

Realization flashed behind her glasses as the name whistled through her ears. 'That name...'

Without hesitation, her mind had fully registered the identity of Liam's guest.

"Quinn?"

"Huh?" Quinn found herself pulled from her mental journey courtesy of Lola snapping her fingers.

"I asked: Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Y- yeah. But, like I said, you three should leave for now," her tone left more questions than answers for the trio as they slowly began to file out.

Liam was the only one to be opposed as he wasn't sure of what his high-tech associate was planning to do to Jade. "I really think I should stay, Quinn."

"This isn't up for debate, Liam," she snapped back. "I need complete concentration when I do this! I can't have you or anyone else around to distract me."

While Jade watched in wonder, Lola & Zoey seemed to just groan; a sign that this was as normal as eating and breathing. Logic and emotion began to go to war silently as Liam and Quinn glared daggers at one another.

"What's with those two?" she spoke up in confusion.

Raising a hand, 'Tori's twin' (as the goth viewed her) stepped forward.

"These two are what you'd call polar opposites. Quinn here is virtually unmatched when it comes to matters of the mind while Liam, he's probably the most well versed in matters of the heart. Their views, however, conflict the other's sometimes." she hunched her shoulders, bringing them down slowly. "What you're seeing here is a product of that conflict." she then seized the left ear of her boyfriend, amused by the slight yelp he gave from the shock shooting in the side of his head. "Let's go, baby. Quinn needs some quiet so she can focus."

Leading him out of the room, it would be Zoey who'd shut the door behind them all, leaving only a nervous Jade and Quinn to the next step. Supreme silence permeated the studio apartment sized room, making either girl feel self-conscious.

For Jade, she wasn't used to being open about things she'd deem personal and this very moment wasn't doing her any favors in that notion. In Quinn's case, it was a similar sentiment, preferring to keep to herself unless she felt something was worth doing along with her friends.

Now, they both found themselves forced to engage a complete stranger in order to reach a mutual result.

"I'm Quinn..." the brainy girl announced, a sense of caution spilling from her lips.

"Jade..." the goth, averting her gaze, replied curtly.

It became clear to them both that this was not going to be as simple as just putting a band-aid on a wound. The dark mark under Jade's injured eye afforded her with all of the information needed to assess the next step.

"I know exactly who you are," Quinn's tone dropped low, almost going past without detection. Grabbing a cotton swab, she soon began rummaging through her case for the things necessary to complete her mission. "You're the infamous Jade West, the Queen of Hollywood Arts, right?"

Shock shrouded Jade's face at the mention of her infamous title; though it was no louder than a whisper, it was enough to elicit a strong reaction from the fortress known as Jade West.

"Nobody calls me that unless they're from school..." furrowed brows tightened over her features. Before she could react, she could feel something cold and wet being dabbed under her eye, causing her to wince. "Ow..." she hissed but never relented in her desire for answers. "You didn't happen to go to Hollywood Arts yourself, did you?"

A few more light dabs later, Quinn simply shook her head, her lips closely knit into something resembling a smile.

"No, I know a guy that managed to get in there a while back," her voice, previously devoid of any emotion, now carried a measure of pleasantry as she gracefully smeared another liquid over the grey wound. "I doubt they even go there anymore, but, they did mention something a goth girl with blue-green eyes who was at the top of the food chain there. After I saw you, I just matched their record with you and took a gamble."

"Either that or you're a mind reader..."

"Nope, I don't believe in that stuff, unless some form of technology is involved," she shrugged. "Oh! How does your eye feel now?"

Reluctant at first, Jade allowed her finger to brush the flesh under her optics, prepared to shudder at the impending shock only to find none.

"It feels... much better now," the rim of her lips drew upwards. "Thanks, Quinn."

"No problem, but, I recommend waiting for a little while before going out, That stuff is really sensitive to extreme heat. I suggest waiting until the weather cools down in a few hours before going back out."

"That's fair," Jade sighed. "What did you put on my eye anyway?"

"Nothing major, just a mixture of Aloe Vera & Cocoa Butter mixed with experimental nanite technology," from the mere mention of nanites, Quinn couldn't resist releasing a small laugh at the girl's shivering form. "Relax, they're completely harmless unless you expose the gel to heat against my advice. The solution will clear up the nasty bruise too so, you'll be fine."

Jade was still a bit unsure, but, she made no complaint about the goop that rested under her injured eye; she marveled at how fast the swelling was going down.

"I'm not one to give out compliments, yet, you're a life-saver."

* * *

After leaving the place he called home, Liam, Lola, and Zoey decided that they would take the opportunity to hang out in the common room until they were summoned back by Quinn. Due to the many students still moving into their dorms, the large entertainment center was relatively empty, give or take a few people that passed through. While Zoey felt a little unnerved by the unexpected silence, Lola was more than content with the degree of privacy afforded to them; a point she emphasized by snuggling under her beau on the couch.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to check on things back in our room," she continued onward, passing the juice bar en route to the girl's dorm hall.

The pair watched until she was no longer in view, leaving them in the well-lit room. Neither seemed to care though, they were too wrapped up in their reunion.

Lola Martinez looked up from her seated position and smiled brightly at her boyfriend's relaxed features. From what she remembered, his hair had grown a bit more over the holiday period, just enough for him to have the locs pulled back into a ponytail. Aside from that, the only other notable change came in the form of his chin, which now sported a modestly sized patch of dark fuzz on it, giving the seventeen-year-old a more sophisticated look.

Examining her lover, the brunette encircled her arm around his neck, pulling the boy down into a swift peck. Her delicate lips grazed his, leaving a charge that incited Liam to draw her slim frame closer to his own. Safe to say, it was sufficient in luring him from whatever was occupying his mind as his face slowly lit up with a cool grin.

"I take it that you've really missed me, huh?" he chortled.

"Of course," she smiled warmly before planting another kiss under his chin. "Do you have to ask?"

Shaking his head, Liam found himself enraptured by her beautiful brown orbs. "I guess you're right," he nuzzled her neck, long brown locks tickling his nose. "But, I love hearing you tell me you miss me."

The sounds of giggling reverberated in the vacant place as the twosome continued their fraternizing until the laughter became too much to sustain. Soon, the vibrations of amusement would begin to die down, replaced by a subtle sense of tranquility that each felt could only be found from the other.

"I've really missed you, Liam," by now, Lola managed to settle on top of the boy, her chin resting on his chest. "I really have..."

"I've missed you too, babe," he smirked gently, his green gems flashing in awe of the young woman staring back at him.

Like him, Lola had matured physically as well, ditching the long colorful streaks from her earlier years on campus and settling on her natural shade of oak instead. Her body had begun to fill out a bit more as she was nearly 17 herself. Gone were the features of the young girl that he met midway through his sophomore year, replaced by the lovely presence of the young woman in front of him.

They remained there, locked in mirroring gazes of earth and nature, both strong-willed and yet, full of fragility that fueled their individual resolves. Their minds soon took them to many days that defined not only their relationship but, the beginning of their bond of friendship. As time flashed in their internal journey, both mentally agreed on one fateful day.

The day they met...

* * *

 **2 Years Ago**

The day for Liam only seemed to get worse as he trudged across campus, the skies pelting him with a barrage of water that served to slow him down, both physically & mentally. It had only been a week since he moved from Los Angeles to Malibu and, as if expected, he was regretting his decision. On day one, he'd run into a group of seniors who felt it was their duty to "break in" the new guy with a series of pranks. Needless to say, things didn't go well as he found himself the victim of several "harmless" jokes before finally doing something about it.

By day three, he'd gotten into a fight with one of the guys, some bratty rich kid named Jason Richmond who turned out to be the leader of the group. The two fought off campus with Liam pulling out the victory with minimum effort, but, it didn't do him much good as he'd already developed a reputation for being vicious. While this normally wouldn't be a problem for him at his previous schools, he soon remembered that he was trying to keep a low profile until he was somewhat comfortable at PCA. Eventually, he just gave up, accepting his new role as a lone wolf at the school.

Now, with a little time behind him, the African-American boy stared straight ahead towards his destination, his campus hall, where he hoped to have some form of peace and solitude. His eyes, a dark green abyss, locked onto the doorway to his home and beyond as he entered the building. Several steps led him closer to what he deemed his sanctuary; his fortress of solitude awaiting him to arrive.

"Finally," he groaned softly, his hoodie dripping from the barrage of rain set upon him earlier. "I can chill out for a bit before getting a bite to...?!"

Crossing the final step to his floor, Liam turned the corner only to notice a girl leaning against his door with an impatient expression on her face. Upon further inspection, he steadily began to notice her identity, which did little to quell his nerves. From her skull cap to her blue-tipped hair, there was no denying who she was as he pressed forward, his eyes hardening with every step he took.

"Can I help you with something?" he folded his wet arms over one another.

Turning her gaze to him, the tan girl's eyes widened for a moment before she turned her sights elsewhere. "Not that it's any of your business, but, I'm waiting for my English partner."

"Right... after running into me last week, I reckoned you just couldn't leave me alone and now I find you camping out in front of my door..."

The girl's dark copper-colored eyes shot open at his hypothesis for why she was outside of his dorm room. Despite this, she still refused to give up, opting instead to continue the childish contest of pettiness.

"I'm sure you would think that," the corner of her lip sunk slightly, uncertain of what his next move would be. "I'm probably waiting on your roommate, some guy named Liam..."

Sighing loud enough to garner her full attention, he removed his hood revealing his calm visage. "I hate to break it to you, but I'm the only one who lives in this room." Seeing her face twist into a scowl of disapproval, he discerned an incoming smart comment about 'how that couldn't be true' or 'he was mocking her intelligence' so he did the only thing he knew he could: prove her wrong.

He reached into his jacket, digging around until his fingers found their target. He then pulled out a small set of keys, One by one, he flipped each key until he found the one designed for his room door. Slowly, he pushed the door open and stepped into the seemingly bare room. "Welcome to mi casa."

Entering inside, the girl scanned the surrounding area, for what, she wasn't completely sure. At first, things appeared to be centered around proving that he wasn't living alone and that he wasn't the person she was tasked with finding but, that was quickly ended when she noticed only one full sized bed inside the rather large room had been made up. On the other side, the bunk beds were empty aside from the white mattresses.

"No way..." she whispered. "You really do live by yourself. So, that means that you're-."

"Liam Patterson," he finished. "I'm the one you're looking for."

There were so many things that the girl wanted to say in response to his revelation. However, the only words she succeeded in gathering failed to fully express her true feelings towards him.

"You've got to be kidding me," she whined while trudging into the plain room.

* * *

Back in the present, the couple once more snickered at that one moment that began their journey to becoming friends and even more. While neither would've admitted it then, they both accepted that it was one of the best things to have happened to them.

"I still remember the look of shock on your face, Lola!" the boy poked her cheek playfully. "I thought you were going to blow a gasket when I told you who I was."

Not one to be upstaged, Lola playfully pushed him back onto the couch and, with cat-like agility, turned her body so that the two were facing one another anew.

"You're laughing, but, if I recall correctly, you weren't so thrilled either!" Liam turned his gaze towards the ceiling as if reflecting her declaration. She watched with a tiny shred of confusion before pools of verdure fell upon her honest countenance once more. "I would say that we borderline hated each other back then..."

Sensing the direction, Liam wrapped his arms around the pouting girl, amused when her bottom lip poked out as a result.

"Lola," she loved and hated when he dropped his voice, welcoming goosebumps all over when his soft voice danced in her eardrums. "We both have come a long way since those days. Who would've thought that the 'annoying girl' with the colored streaks in her hair would turn out to be my gorgeous girlfriend?"

"And who would've thought that wannabe tough guy would wind up being my handsome boyfriend?" she let out a faint laugh. "I figure anything can happen, huh?"

Despite the smile adorning her lips, she could tell that her boyfriend was picking up that something was bothering her, a point emphasized by her wry smile.

"What's really on your mind, Lola?" his unblinking eyes left little room for deceit.

"Nothing!" she stared at him wide-eyed. "I was just reminiscing about the past, that's all."

"Lola Isabella Martinez..." her heart skipped a beat after hearing her middle name spoken by the object of her affection; it was never a good sign when he used it. "...You're a good actress, but, we both know you can't trick me when it comes to important stuff."

She bit her lip, her mind wandering in several directions all at once. In her heart, she knew something was troubling her, it wasn't difficult to for someone close to her to have noticed. Traveling down her mental highway, she found herself averting her gaze from him, her own focus withering under his presence.

"I- I just feel that..." she continued to avoid those portals. "I was just thinking about Jade."

Upon her admission, the young boy smiled warmly, though he retained a great deal of concern. In his mind, he suspected things were a bit awkward when the couple had revealed that fact to the goth.

"What about Jade?" his innocent nature only made it much more difficult for Lola to come out and mention what was plaguing her. "I thought the two of you had just become BFFs?"

She nodded but, it did little to change the worried expression.

"You're right. At first, things were pretty well between us. Then, I began to notice something after she found out we were together." Her eyes shook with the intensity of her anxiety. "When I left you two alone, I could see something in her eyes."

She watched as his face shifted between a trio of emotions; from worry to clueless and finally, realization.

"Wait, you're not implying that-..." he broke away from the latter half of his question when his girlfriend responded.

"Jade likes you."

Just as Liam was about to object to her claim, the buzzing of his tekmate took them both by surprise. While digging in his pocket, Liam felt the weight of his lover lift from his sternum. He answered immediately only to be greeted by the casual tone of the person on the other line informing him of Jade's progress. A few 'Yeahs" and "Okays" later, he hung up the phone then resumed his attention to Lola.

"That was Quinn. She said that she's finished with patching Jade up," he sighed softly, feeling her sullen vibes all over him. He wanted to check up on his old friend, but first, he had someone that needed him much more right now. "Babe..."

"We should check up on Jade," she folded her arms, lifting her guard up. "I'm sure you must be worried after all."

Liam stood there, paralyzed by the cold reaction from the tan skinned girl. After weeks of not seeing one another, was she really allowing her insecurities to dictate her actions? He couldn't believe this... No. He wouldn't allow something like this to ruin something they've both worked hard to establish.

He took a deep breath, sorting out his emotions and thoughts before making a move; he wouldn't just fly off the handle to satisfy his own emotional scars. He wasn't happy, yet he'd rather do anything else other than reciprocating the temporary pain to his beloved. A few more seconds of deliberation passed when he opened his eyes, his mind completely prepared to fix a crumbling bridge.

"Look, I get that you figured out Jade's possible feelings, but, I need you to know something that you might've forgotten." He observed Lola's intrigued appearance though he kept a close eye on the small frown on her lips as well. "I only knew Jade as a friend, an old friend that I haven't talked about nor seen since I left L.A. some years ago. I can't say if there was anything blooming between the two of us back then. I left before anything could even be said, Lola!"

By this point, his left hand was clutching his chest as he took a few more deep breaths. His eyes suddenly flashed with a familiar presence that she knew all too well; it was something that she knew from the early days of them interacting.

Torture.

Somehow, this subject was having a profound impact on Liam and it wasn't a good thing either.

"I left Hollywood Arts to leave my past behind. I left my friends and my family to start over because I felt the weight of the world crashing down on me after a woman shattered my heart into a million pieces! But, in the end, I don't regret leaving because, out of all the negativity I've endured, there was one thing that truly helped me to overcome that former life I lived."

Hearing the magnitude of his words, Lola Martinez felt the vexing hand of her insecurities slowly pull away only to be replaced by a warm sense of adoration in her core. It wasn't until she watched Liam point to her that her fears dissipated, lost in the air around them.

"Me?" she whispered, her inability to trust her own voice preventing her from fully answering him.

"Yeah," his own tears gathered around the corners of his lids, stinging that spot while he struggled to contain them. "If I hadn't left, I wouldn't have met you and, I wouldn't be the most thankful guy in the world right now."

His words were a cure to the world's more lethal diseases to her. Each time he opened his mouth, she found herself swept in a whirlwind of desire, love, and affection that made her hold onto her stomach as butterflies began to flutter inside.

"Lola, you're truly special to me, and that's why I can't have you convincing yourself that life is a certain way when we both should know the truth," he took a moment to swallow then approached the awe-stricken girl. "Jade and I are close friends. Whatever attraction that might have been, has no place in my life. I have you. I want you. I can't get enough of you, Lola. But, you should also know that, as of today, I'm officially telling you that," her cupped hands covered her mouth in anticipation of the next statement to exit his mouth. "I love you, Lola."

Her dark brown eyes, earth truly represented behind her visual portals, blinked several times as fresh drops of her inner-self beginning to descend down to her jawline. Her heart was beating so hard, she grew afraid that it would break one of her ribs if she didn't get things under control.

"Liam, you don't have to tell me this," she quietly wept. "I know you care about me. I just feel stupid for assuming that something was going on."

"No..." she stopped when he wrapped his strong arms around her petite frame. "Never feel that you can't express yourself to me. We've been together for far too long for things to be like this. No matter who comes and goes in my life, I want you there with me."

At that point, Lola was no longer able to restrain herself as she clutched onto his shirt, fingers tightly weaved around the cotton fabric of his sleeveless hoodie. Hot tears penetrated through the material, even piercing through to his soul.

"Thanks," she whispered, relieved that the demon inside had been exercised. "I needed that reassurance, Liam."

"It's my pleasure, querida," he kissed the top of her head, his nose flooded with the scent of fresh cherry blossoms. "I'm here for you, whenever you need me."

"I'm sorry..."

"No need to be. I understand."

The two remained in that spot for seemed like ages, neither wanting to leave this magical place that had them in blissful enchantment from one another's display of love. It would be Lola, however, to pull away just enough to take in the full image of her boyfriend's warm gaze and smile.

Then, as if reacting to a voice telling her to, she slipped her arms around his body, mouthing something that made the athletically built boy lean down. Rewarding his compliance, she met Liam halfway, their soft lips caressed by their lover's. There were no moans; there was no need for them this time as the duo surrendered to their urges of righteous passion.

Liam & Lola.

Two people who, at first, couldn't stand each other now sharing the first true embrace since before summer vacation began. Time stood still, granting the couple everything they needed to enjoy the company connected to them.

Only the familiar sound of a tekmate vibrating in Liam's pants pocket could spoil the moment, though they'd simply resume things at their earliest convenience. This time, he handed the device to her, allowing Lola to read the message sent from their brainiac friend.

"She's asking where we are..." she giggled, hoping it would afford her the ability to resist touching the electric charge surging through her mouth. "Guess we should get going?"

Unlike before, Liam could tell that she was a lot more upbeat that minutes prior.

"Yeah, I guess we should..." he chuckled apprehensively. "We don't want to owe her any favors, do we?"

"No way. The last time I owed her a favor, she tried to knock my head off after I kiss Mark."

"Del Figgalo?"

Lola nodded then grabbed her lover's hand as she led him out of the building and into the heated outdoors but, not before giving him another meaningful kiss. They arrived within a couple of minutes only to stop in front of the main door to Liam's home. Confused, he turned his head towards her.

"What's up?"

She rubbed her arm, clearly nervous despite her cheerful demeanor. "I just want to thank you again for sticking with me through that little episode." Instead of a verbal reaction, she would receive Liam's kiss on her forehead which made her want to melt right then and there. "Stop, I'm trying to tell you something!" she playfully jabbed his arm.

"Hehe sorry, querida," his sincerity overflowing at this point, accentuated by him bowing. "you can continue..."

"Thank you," she curtsied. "As I was saying, I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with, but, I'm glad that it's you who's with me. No matter what is said or was between you two, I have to understand that it's not for me to judge who you were before you came to PCA, nor should I suspect things just because something's seems off with someone. You've given me no reason to doubt or question your devotion so, I want to say that I appreciate you, Liam. I'm glad we're in a relationship together, and I believe I love you too."

Hearing those words, Liam could feel the corner of his lip tugging rapidly.

"You're truly one of a kind, you know that?" he grinned.

"Hmmm, you can stand to say it more often," she winked, proceeding inside right after. "I wouldn't get tired of hearing it, love."

Following her lead, the two would head up the flight of stairs upon entry.

"I'm sure you wouldn't..." he silently chuckled to himself.

* * *

"Are they okay?" a light-hearted voice of concern asked the older woman who appeared to be muttering to herself. "Mother?"

Celeste towered over the unconscious forms of the young men and women scattered along her home. Currently, she was taking special care of Jade West, gently rubbing rosemary on her pale forehead as a way of helping her.

"I don't know, child..."

"But, you can bring them back. right?" A hallowed silence filled the room, giving Lucille her answer. There wasn't much that could be done besides praying, utilizing talismans and herbs to ward off any further damage to the young men and women's psyche. Lucille, for her part, was patiently watching the still forms of those she cared about with anxiety. "Who or what could have caused this?"

At that moment, Celeste froze in her tracks. Dark orbs slowly turned creepily to the younger woman, fear and anger burning behind them. While this rage was not directed towards her, it was still enough to make her stop the line of questioning.

"The Livro da ilusão..." her voice was so low that it came off as if she was afraid to utter the name too loudly. She then turned her hardened gaze back to the young adults lying down before her. "As for 'who'? It is a cursed book that was written by a mambo asogwe **(high priest or priestess)** who desired to control the strands of time and fate. While successful, that asogwe was punished by the Loa for stealing their secrets and documenting them."

"So, what exactly is happening to them?"

Celeste sighed, mainly due to the level of stress that was beginning to overwhelm her.

"Have a seat child, this will be a lot to take in."

* * *

 **Main Characters (thus far)**

 **Liam Patterson:**

 **After finding out that Trina ran away, after sharing their first time with each other, a betrayed Liam decided that he no longer wanted to stay in a city that continued to destroy his outlook on the world. He chooses to transfer, winding up in PCA where it is learned that he encountered Zoey and the gang at some point. This is definitely true with Lola Martinez, whom he initially mistakes for Tori at first. After that awkward encounter, it is revealed that the two have become an item at some point. With a new semester looming in a month, he finds himself thrust back into the uncertainty of his past: the return of Jade West.**

 **After an initial argument, they both seem to settle things enough after, unintentionally, recreating the day they nearly killed each other. After a fit of laughter, they engage in an emotional back and forth that finally explained a little bit of why she came to PCA looking for him. As the conversation progressed, Liam & Jade seem to have rekindled their friendship, all while managing to avoid any misunderstandings with Lola and Zoey.**

 **Lola Martinez:**

 **Shortly after he transferred to PCA, Lola meets Liam at some point where the two share an awkward encounter with one another. Eventually, they form a strong friendship that, sometime later, form a romantic relationship. She happened to run into Jade West after overhearing her mentioning Liam and helped her get onto the campus grounds. After getting to know her, but, also seeing her boyfriend's reaction to her, it's safe to say that Lola will be keeping a close eye on the goth.**

 **It is later discovered that she and Liam became a couple after a school dance (more will be elaborated on in due time). Despite her reservations, she would find that Jade posed no threat to her and settled on her first impression of the girl. Now, with Zoey, she's looking to help out her new friend with the help of Quinn Pensky.**

 **Jade West:**

 **After finding out that her friend, Liam was leaving Hollywood, Jade, at some point, fell out with the young boy. After over a year of no communication, Jade went looking for him, while keeping her mission a secret from Beck, Tori, and the others. She tried to get in once she found a lead on his location but struggled to get inside until she met Lola, whom she also mistook for Tori Vega. The two eventually worked out the 'kinks' with that and soon, Jade was given access to PCA as a registered guest. Conflicted with her actions, she finds that her lead was true as she prepares the fateful encounter.**

 **She would explain her actions to Liam, after some verbal warfare that resulted in an emotional breakdown and revelation of their shared connection with Jade's boyfriend, Beck Oliver. While Liam had always known the truth since his departure, Jade was stunned to find out that his leaving had little to do with Trina Vega but her significant other. After a tearful embrace, she can rest easy (to some degree) knowing that her bond with Liam is still intact after not speaking for years.**

 **Zoey Brooks**

 **While having the least to do personally so far, Zoey is responsible for Liam and Lola formally meeting after his arrival at PCA. She even introduced him to the other members of her friendship circle which opened the door for him to start a new life. Throughout his time there, she tried to get him to open up about his past but only succeeded in getting tidbits and general information about his life before PCA. Now, she has a better understanding after eavesdropping on his and Jade's discussion about their past connection.**

 **She now seems to handle the role of "Voice of Reason" very well as she had the most level-headed resolve out of the four so far, even coming up with the idea of bringing in their good friend, albeit reluctantly, Quinn Pensky.**

* * *

 **With this post, all three of the original chapters are now up! This means that I'll be taking down "A Demon's Kiss" and will continue it here as part of the main story. Secondly, while these are pre-written chapters, the official chapter 50 will be completely original and thus, I'll be looking for a primary antagonist to combat Liam and the gang.**

 **If you're interested, then let me know either in the review section or private messages. I am open to a guy or a girl or both as I can create a dastardly duo. If any are interested, then I'll post a short application in the next chapter. Once again, thank you so much to everyone who supports this fiction and I'll be updating very soon.**

 **Enjoy the rest of your day/night and I'll catch you all later!**


	55. Chapter 50

**Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

"Are they okay?" a light-hearted voice of concern asked the older woman who appeared to be muttering to herself. "Mother?"

Celeste towered over the unconscious forms of the young men and women scattered along her home. Currently, she was taking special care of Jade West, gently rubbing rosemary on her pale forehead as a way of helping her.

"I don't know, child..."

"But, you can bring them back. right?" A hallowed silence filled the room, giving Lucille her answer. There wasn't much that could be done besides praying, utilizing talismans and herbs to ward off any further damage to the young men and women's psyche. Lucille, for her part, was patiently watching the still forms of those she cared about with anxiety. "Who or what could have caused this?"

At that moment, Celeste froze in her tracks. Dark orbs slowly turned creepily to the younger woman, fear and anger burning behind them. While this rage was not directed towards her, it was still enough to make her stop the line of questioning.

"The Livro da ilusão..." her voice was so low that it came off as if she was afraid to utter the name too loudly. She then turned her hardened gaze back to the young adults lying down before her. "As for 'who'? It is a cursed book that was written by a mambo asogwe **(high priest or priestess)** who desired to control the strands of time and fate. While successful, that asogwe was punished by the Loa for stealing their secrets and documenting them."

"So, what exactly is happening to them?"

Celeste sighed, mainly due to the level of stress that was beginning to overwhelm her.

"Have a seat child, this will be a lot to take in."

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 50: Dark Tunnel**

Lucille could only look back at her mother with a perplexed expression. Throughout her time as a bokor-in-training, she'd never heard of such a thing as what was stated by the haunted lady softly invocating over the young men and women in their home.

"What exactly is this Livro da ilusão?"

"It is a terrible tome that was conceived generations ago in an attempt to defy the powers of the spirit realm. It was said to have the potential to induce those under its spell into a comatose state."

"But if that's all it can do, then shouldn't we be able to pull little brother and the others out?" Lucille asked, slowly sifting through some books pertaining to rituals and counterspells. "There has to be something that could be used to pull them out of this."

"Sadly, that's not the end of it, cher." Both women turned towards the lone entranceway where none other than a familiar Cajun stood with a stoic look on his scruffy features. With arms crossed, his eyes narrowed as he stepped past the threshold.

"What are you talkin' about, Remy?" Lucille huffed, not one for the guy's annoying antics at the moment. A swift reprimanding from the elder woman put to rest any further outbursts from the now pouting daughter.

"Hush child..." she pressed a digit onto her lips before turning her attention back to the young man. "Go ahead, Remy."

"Thank you, Madame." he tipped his hat politely. "The Livro da ilusão isn't just a comatose spell, but, rather one that sends those inflicted by it into an alternate world where their past memories are rearranged. By being forced into this realm, they're unable to decipher what's real and what's illusion and that's still just the tip of the iceberg."

"There's more?"

He nodded. "I'm afraid so, Lucille. Ya see, everyone affected can either experience their own personal alternate reality or experience one massive one. In the case of these guys, it appears to be the latter."

For the first time since the incident occurred, Celeste finally allowed the ghost of a grin to appear. "So, they can be saved?"

"Correct. It's much easier to do so but, it'll still require a bit of skill," his scowl deepened, followed by a heavy exhalation of frustration. "The first thing we'll need to do is figure out the initial victim of this spell in order to pinpoint the source of their fantasy. After that, we'll need to send someone into the mindscape and draw them out. If we can form a line of communication to do just that, then we can focus on getting you inside and maybe figuring out the identity of the perpetrator."

Both women nodded.

"Excellent, so Lucille, you'll be the one we need to send inside after we figure out the aforementioned victim."

"Why me?"

"Because, in order for this to be effective, we'll need someone who has the strongest bond with most of the group which means you'll have the greatest chance of pulling each of them out."

By now, Lucille wasn't sure how to feel about that revelation. Sure, it was certainly true, but, that didn't make her feel any less uneasy about the mission laid out. Was she truly capable of completing this without screwing things up? Would she be prepared for whatever 'reality' awaited her? She took a moment to swallow the lump of saliva that had built up in her mouth before taking a moment to stare at the unconscious form of her brother Liam resting comfortably on the nearby couch.

"If that is the case, then why not my mother? She's equally qualified to handle these types of issues; more than I am, I admit."

"Possibly," Remy removed his fedora, wiping away some imaginary dust before putting it back on. "But, as I just stated, you have the strongest connection with the majority of the group. While Madame Celeste is indeed the boy's mother, she does not have that strong of a bond with the rest save for the two beaus. In truth, you actually beat her out in that category by at least one body."

At that moment, he pointed his thumb over to the stilled body of one Beck Oliver who was currently resting on a plush blanket that Lucille herself had provided.

"Between your feelings for the poor guy adding to the heightened emotions towards the pale girl, you are the only one out of the three of us who can go in and bring them out. Am I clear?"

"I don't think I can..." she averted her gaze. "What if I mess up? What if I tamper with something that could ruin everything?"

As tears began to surface, Lucille felt a warmth that she hadn't known she was missing until now surround her.

"You won't, child. I have faith that you can, and will, help bring them back."

A moment that felt like an eternity.

That's all it took for the mother-daughter tandem to hash things out about this situation.

"Okay, I'll do it..." her voice, barely above a whisper, open the door to progress.

"Perfect. Because I think we should start with the most obvious suspects."

Confused, Lucille raised an eyebrow. "And who might that be?"

* * *

 **Liam & Jade**

Liam and Lola both returned with matching smiles on their faces, much to the chagrin of one Quinn Pensky who frowned at the pair. In her eyes, the duo would definitely owe her for having to use her precious nano-tech before they could be properly tested. However, another glance at a recovering Jade West fixed her attitude quickly enough where she wouldn't raise an issue this time considering it was for a good cause. In Jade's case, the idea of her newly regained friendship with Liam, combined with her soon to be healed eye, had her feeling like she could take on the world. In truth, she was skeptical about letting some random stranger experiment with such a vital part of her anatomy but, given her connection to the couple, Jade was grateful for the time taken to fix her up.

Upon the couple's arrival, Quinn mentioned something about them bringing her something from Sushi Rox before leaving to finish touching up her room, leaving the trio to get reacquainted with one another. Several hours would pass and, much to the relief, the sweltering heat would cease its onslaught and give way to the soothing breeze as the sun began descending behind the waves of the ocean.

No longer in danger of any side-effects from the treatment, Jade was more than happy to get out of the building, relishing the fresh air that hit against her face.

"I never thought I'd say this, but, it's good to be outside!" she stretched haphazardly, narrowly whacking her best friend upside the head.

"Never thought I'd hear you say those words," Liam stuck his tongue out.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" the goth raised an eyebrow, wondering whether the boy would fall into her snare.

She and Lola watched as he raised his hands up defensively. "From what I remember, you were always the type to wall yourself at home or someplace where no one could find you."

Jade rolled her eyes yet remained silent; she wasn't going to take the bait.

"Yeah well, I guess I should be going..." she averted her gaze towards some random group of kids playing extreme frisbee. "It's only a matter of time before Vega and the others start hitting my phone up."

"Are you sure you have to leave so soon?" A pair of eyes fell upon, not Liam, but the tan girl. "I'm sure we can find a place for you to crash tonight. You're more than welcome to go out with us."

While her boyfriend just watched in astonishment, Jade could feel this weird feeling resonating within her stomach; a feeling that she had to admit she hadn't felt in a long time. Earth and sky fixed on one another in a mental debate, determination vs uncertainty warring against each other.

"I- I don't know... I don't want to impose on your date."

"Nonsense," Lola flicked her hand repeatedly. "We can always take a rain check on that."

"Are you sure?"

This time, Liam closed the gap between them. "Trust me when I tell you, Lola doesn't say things that she doesn't mean. If she's invited you, she really wants you to join us."

Unknown to the olive-skinned girl, there was an unsaid conversation brought ensuing between the newly reunited friends as well. If Jade was her old self, she would've made some snarky remark about seducing the two. Instead, she remained still as she nodded towards the young man after several seconds of their unspoken duel.

 _Come on, Jade._

I don't know...

 _We'd love to have you with us._

I would be imposing...

 _Why are you being so difficult?_

Are you surprised?

 _It's him, isn't it?_

No.

 _Jade._

Drop it...

 _Stop lying!_

Fine! Yes...

Jade let out a sigh, clearly frustrated with the mental interrogation conducted by the boy.

"Alright, I'll go with you guys if it'll get you off my back," though her face bore a scowl, her tone lacked the dedication to her gankiness. She rolled her eyes as Liam and Lola did celebratory victory dances though, she couldn't resist the amused smirk that crept along her face. She then found herself being led by both arms to their intended destination. "The food had better be as good as you say it is..."

* * *

The night progressed with minimum issues for the goth as she enjoyed her evening at Sushi Rox, though she attributed much of it to the pleasant company. After a wonderful meal and conversation, she spent some time listening to an impromptu concert by some local musicians who, in her 'expert' opinion, weren't half bad. At times, she would find herself getting lost in the musical stylings of the rock groups which didn't go unnoticed by her hosts. Lola, who by now had grown much more comfortable with the dark natured girl, found herself joining her while the band continued their performance. The closer their forms drew, the more of the tension began to fizzle away.

For Jade, it was the perfect chance to shed her defenses and savor the calm environment around her. In Lola's case, she too appeared at ease as she swung her hips to the beat. The ambiance encompassing them increased in strength as they inched closer while sustaining a respectable distance from one another. Midnight & Earthly locks whipped in the twilight sky as they both felt their inner strife melting away with each move they made; neither seemed to have a care in the world while they continued to be enchanted by the air encompassing them. Ultimately the song ended, leaving the girls to stop and catch their breath while another group began to make their way onstage.

"You're not a bad dancer," Lola panted while wiping a few droplets of sweat from her brow.

To her wonder, Jade's breathing was a bit uneasy as well as she was hunched over, though it did little to stop her from smiling. "Thanks, you're not so bad yourself. I wasn't sure you could keep up."

"Well, now you-" the brunette paused her gloating to scan around the area, her gaze intensifying with each passing second. "Where's Liam?"

* * *

On the opposite end of the campus, the missing person in question was sitting on one of the guard rails staring at the stars hovering over the horizon. His lids slowly closed as the breeze tickled his face. Steadily he inhaled while contemplating his previous actions; he knew that he should've given the girl's a heads up but, he couldn't bring himself to do that.

It was wrong and yet, he still thought it best to just slip into the crowd while Lola and Jade danced without a care in the world. In his eyes, he didn't want to disturb their mesmerizing choreography and made his decision to endure some solitude. It would prove to be short-lived as a familiar face approached him.

"What do you want, Michael?" he muttered, clearly not receptive of the African-American boy.

"I was just heading back to the concert with Tina when I noticed you were over here all by yourself..."

"Wait... Tina? What happened to Sasha?" he peered over his shoulder at the energetic boy with an interrogating glare.

"That's beside the point," he quipped frantically while rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought you were with Lola and some other girl?"

"That's none of your business... go back to your date."

Clearly, Michael could tell that something was troubling his friend but, the distant calls from aforementioned Tina drug him from his mission, much to Liam's relief. Nothing against the guy, but he just had little time or patience for explaining himself. Taking a moment to compose himself, he focused his mind once more on the earlier thoughts plaguing him.

"Thought he'd never leave," he turned around, eyes fixed on the dimly painted waters in front of him.

"I'll say..." An icy chill ran down Liam's spine at the voice behind him. "It seems that you have a knack for disappearing when people aren't paying attention."

 _Maybe if I don't turn around, she won't be as angry...'_ he surmised while a slight shiver crept throughout his body.

"Not acknowledging us will only make up angrier, Liam..." Jade's cryptic tone made him want to wince as he was no stranger to the girl's wrath. "You have some explaining to do."

Slowly, he twisted his body only to find himself staring at the annoyed faces of both Lola & Jade.

"H-hey!" he weakly greeted. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, I don't know... Lola and I figured that we'd take a break from the show and see the mythical Malibu waves while sipping some drinks," in an instant an ivory hand tightly gripped his black t-shirt. "What the hell do you think we're doing here, moron?"

"Jade, please let my boyfriend go..." Despite her anger, she obliged leaving Liam to fall onto the grass below due to him losing his balance. He picked himself up, groaning from the rather hard thud he made upon contact with the ground. "Anyways, the more important question would be why did you run off?"

They both watched as their friend/boyfriend let out an unsteady sigh while avoiding eye-contact with them. Upon closer inspection, the two could make out the slight swaying motion of his body, further implying that whatever was responsible for his departure must've been really serious.

"I really don't want to-"

"No!" The goth shocked the couple with her unforeseen outburst, tears brimming the corners of her azure gems. "You're not about to pull that same crap again!"

"Again?" the attention suddenly turned to Lola who sported a puzzled expression. "What do you mean 'again', Jade?"

"To make a long story short, this is how your boyfriend was acting right before he made up his mind to leave Hollywood Arts and move here. Isn't that right?"

"That's not fair!" he bellowed, unwilling to face this without some form of defense. "We both know why I really left!"

"Yeah, and that only took over two years to explain."

"Why are you being such a gank?!"

"The same reason you're acting like an ass!"

Silence.

Soul crushing silence mixed perfectly with the uncomfortable atmosphere swirling around the trio with Lola Martinez obviously the odd girl out. One thing was apparent however, there was indeed some strain within the association related to something much deeper than the two were letting on. Regrettably, she wouldn't get the chance to investigate further as the raven-haired girl stormed off without another word, leaving the twosome speechless.

* * *

"What was I thinking?" Jade grumbled as she neared her car. "He was a heartless ass back then and he's still one now..."

"Are you sure about that?" Jade spun her body instantly while simultaneously brandishing her favorite pair of scissors to use on the poor idiot foolish enough to creep up on her. To her surprise or lack thereof, it was Lola who now held her hands up defensively. "Okay, I'm sorry...!"

"Sorry, Lola..." her fury subsiding for now. "I thought you were some dumbass thinking he'd get a feel or something."

"I should be the one apologizing," this response made the gothic queen's eyebrows raise. "for my insensitive boyfriend, that is."

Crossing her arms, Jade's lips began to contort into a soft frown.

"Why are you apologizing on his behalf? Is he too spineless to do it himself?"

Lola chose not to take the bait dangled in front of her.

"No. In truth, that was just a bargaining tool."

"Bargaining tool?" she tucked her black hair behind her left ear. "For what exactly?"

"The story between you and Liam."

To say that this caught Jade West off guard would be an understatement. Nobody dared questioned her connections or origins with anyone aside from her abusive significant other. To hear this now forced her into a position she wasn't used to being in: Anxious. A bead of sweat ran down her temple, her mouth suddenly becoming dry as the Sahara Desert as she tried to concoct a proper comeback.

"I thought it was made clear that he and I are... well, sort of friends." she scoffed, though she lacked the conviction necessary to throw the young girl off. "What more could there be?"

This was her first mistake.

If she'd been on her game, she would've left things at the somewhat concise answer that might've ended the conversation. Instead, she inadvertently handed the keys to Pandora's Box to Lola who was quick to use it to get her answers.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that there's something going on between you two that you're not telling me or him," she smirked softly, further leading Jade into a fog-covered labyrinth, adding to her disadvantage. "If I had to take a guess, I'd wager that you two were once an item?"

Then came her second mistake.

"No way!" she replied, her voice swiftly elevating in volume and tone, an undisputed indicator of her rapidly diminishing composure which only happened when she felt threatened or was being accused of something that wasn't true. "As if I'd date him while I was in a relationship with someone else! I'm NOT a cheater, Lola!"

"But you are ATTRACTED to him..."

Eyes wild and wide like a wounded animal's shook under the soft gaze of the girl before her. "W-what?"

"You just stated that you wouldn't date Liam because you were in a relationship at the time, correct?" Jade's silence gave her the clue she sought. "So, does that mean that you would've if you were single?"

Finally, her third mistake would come, though, this time Jade had no choice but to set off the trap laid out by the Huntress.

"That's not fair, Lola..." her voice now a ghost of what it used to be. "You tricked me."

"And you're stalling, Jade."

"Fine, the answer's yes. I do like him, alright?" Defeat laced each word perfectly as Jade threw her arms up. "I wanted to tell him but, I chickened out. After that girl left him broken, I saw in his eyes something that I knew all too well."

Intrigued, Lola tilted her head slightly. "What did you see?"

"Anguish."

"Anguish?"

"It was as if I was watching a movie of his life through those damn green eyes of his. I saw a little boy abandoned early on in his childhood growing up to be a guarded young man who rarely trusted anybody and it killed me inside because I know that feeling all too well." By this point, Jade was so enraptured in her story, she didn't notice, or didn't care, that she was crying. "I know the hell he's endured by others who were supposed to protect and love you. We were broken and yet, we could've pieced the other together in our friendship... but..."

"But what?"

"I don't know..." she shook her head slowly.

"We both feared him." The deep voice pierced the smothering emotional plane. "We both were afraid of what Beck would do to the other."

Quickly wiping away the stray streaks, Jade immediately folded her around her body.

"Didn't think you'd show up."

"You should know me better than that," he let out an uncomfortable chuckle.

"Whatever..." she huffed. "Still doesn't change things between us."

Even Lola felt the sting of the ivory girl's barb but, noticing her lover didn't give a reaction, she knew something was up. After all the time the two have spent together, she could tell that it wasn't going to rattle him a second time.

"And what are things between us?"

His words held no emotional tell-tale which began to stir something from within the pit of her stomach that she'd only felt before when dealing with her significant other. She redirected her attention to the young man, managing to find herself captivated by those duel gems of honesty and strength. To her, deep within her heart and soul, she knew what he meant to her; he was everything she could've ever wished for wrapped up in one human shell. He was her literal opposite in the sense that he was more open to express what was inside of him or, at least he was better at it than she was.

To her, he was perfect.

"I don't know anymore..." her hushed tone revealed a subtle dose of uncertainty behind her response. "I-I should go."

She reached for the door of the Impala only to have a soft hand placed on her own. Despite the dim surrounding them, Jade could make out whose touch it was. She slowly lifted her gaze, eventually meeting with the sweet terra orbs of a saddened Lola Martinez. Everything in her screamed to rip her hand away, get in her car, and speed off into the night and yet as if rooted in the ground, she found herself unable to commit to the idea. It was something about her that made her feel at ease despite the awkward ambiance around them.

"Look, I know you've only known me for the better part of a day," she resisted the urge to laugh at that. "but, please tell us what's going on. I'll admit that Liam can be a stubborn ass at times but, even I can see that he's trying, Jade."

Turning her view towards the boy, Jade noticed that he was staring at the ground but, more importantly, there was a tiny sliver of pink adorning his cheeks. If they'd been alone, she would've reveled in the feeling of warmth rushing throughout her body. However, she settled on the tiniest of grins before approaching her estranged friend. In a moment that seemed to last forever, Jade let her grin grow into a solid smile. though there was something else behind it as well. Something that only Lola happened to catch in that split second; a twinkle in the goth's aqua pools, one that didn't signify lust but, an intrigue that confirmed her earlier inquiry.

"I think I can live with that," Jade's snarky tone shifted the focus onto herself again. "Between Beck being in Canada, and my family not really caring about me, I can settle with spending the night. But, I'll need some clothes to wear."

"You can borrow some of mine," Lola volunteered with a bit more eagerness than she'd hoped. "Though, now that I think about it, I don't think we're the same size."

"It's alright. I can just make due with what I have until tomorrow."

"No way! I have a couple of shirts that I really don't wear anymore. Plus, you can bunk in my room since the staff doesn't check my hall." Lola and Jade just stared at the boy, neither saying a word, much to his concern. "What? I'm just trying to help..."

Lola was about to say something but was stopped when the sound of a door shutting caught her ear.

"How can I say no to that?" Jade grinned softly.

* * *

After settling on the details of Jade's stay, Liam thought it best, correctly, to walk his girlfriend to her dorm before returning to his own room. Upon their arrival, the two shared one final kiss before Lola turned in for the night. Back at Liam's dormitory, giggles and hums aplenty permeating from the room as he pulled out his keycard and unlocked the door, allowing entry into his room. What he found was none other than his best friend sitting on his bed wearing a black Jack Skellington t-shirt that was clearly too big and a knowing smirk adorning her lips.

That's all...

"Had fun?"

"Sorry we lost track of time," he rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"Right," the goth droned playfully. "Well, I'm glad you didn't choose to get some 'fun time' while I was stuck waiting."

"W-what?!" he stepped back, aghast at her blunt remark. "I wouldn't do that!"

"So, you're telling me that you two haven't done anything with your girlfriend?" she crossed her arms, allowing the collar of the shirt to drift further down her right shoulder. "I don't buy it."

He half expected her to continue her interrogation, it was what she was good at after all, but found that he'd been baited when she erupted into a fit of giggles at his flustered expression.

"Sorry, Tiger. I couldn't resist."

If irritation were a virus, it had definitely infested Liam's being as he felt a pang pierce his gut.

"Glad to know you still have your sense of humor..."

"Of course! Not everything's changed about me," she smiled brightly before giving him a tight hug. "It's one of my many likable qualities "

"Mhmm." he rolled his eyes, clearly not amused at Jade's antics, though, he found himself falling victim to a chuckled that tickled his throat.

Silence then filled the room, uncomfortable and smothering the pair who sat and stood awkwardly from one another. While it wasn't that there was anything wrong between them, there was this feeling of uncertainty that seemed to hover over them. For starters, there was the case of their individual pasts, something both Jade and Liam didn't want to address for their own personal reasons.

Between abuse and unresolved feelings, it was clear to them both that this meeting was no mere accident.

"I'm impressed..." his voice fragmented the mirror, not caring about the shards of difficulties that threatened to slice him. As he presumed, Jade flashed a look of pure dismay. "I didn't think that you of all people would be the one to come all of this way just to find me."

Embarrassed, the pale girl turned away, hiding her face with her raven locks. "I-it was nothing..."

"I don't think that you playing detective and using an old picture that someone posted on TheSlap to pinpoint my location can be classified as 'nothing'." a smug grin slowly crept along his full lips. "If anything, that's something that I'd expect from Tori."

"Don't ever compare me to Vega!" in one fell swoop, Jade managed to not only rush at the boy but pull out her favorite (for the moment) pair of scissors.

"What the hell?!" he fell backward, a result of him tripping over his own feet, and landed on the plush carpet beneath him as an irate Jade (thankfully) missed him completely. "It was just a joke, ya gank!"

"Don't call me her, got it?"

"Noted." he rolled his eyes, no doubt reminiscing over a distant memory. "Look, I didn't mean to offend you, Jade."

Once more, Jade looked at anything that wasn't her now cautious friend.

"No problem. I shouldn't have flown off of the handle like that," she replied, stuffing the sharp weapon back into her combat boots. "Especially since you don't know the whole story."

Emerald eyes stared back with curiosity dancing behind them like a child on Christmas morning.

"What do you mean by 'whole story'?" he asked, voice shivering slightly for fear of what the answer might be.

Gone now was the angry ball of fire that just tried to gut him like a fish, replaced with an unsure expression that told him more than he realized he'd wanted to find out. "Can we go for a walk? I don't feel comfortable saying this when others could be listening."

Jade half expected her friend to decline and make a case for how paranoid she was acting; it was his nature after all. So, imagine her shock when he nodded silently instead, watching his concerned eyes cut towards his room door. Once his gaze returned to her, the caution behind his orbs disappeared only to be replaced with a light that even she had to admit she'd missed after all of this time.

"I think a late night walk sounds good. Though campus can be creepy at night," he teased.

"Don't worry," she smirked playfully, a challenging response to his own. "I'll protect you."

'Just like old times.' they both silently mused as the sun began its descent.

* * *

"Lola, are you alright?" a worried Zoey asked while sitting on her bed. "You seem a bit... anxious."

"Huh? Why would I be anxious? What makes you think that I'm anxious?!"

"Because you're clutching your sweater as if it owes you money..." the blond pointed a digit towards the unfortunate article of clothing in Lola Martinez's grip.

Noticing this, she loosened her hold on the neck of the ugly Christmas sweater, though, she was still unwilling to accept the clear observation made by her best friend.

"M-maybe, I just d-don't like it?" she replied, flashing an awkward smile.

"I swear, if you hold on any tighter, you'll start tearing the threads..." Zoey Brooks walked over, taking the reindeer adorned top and tossing it in the open closet nearby. "You're worried about Liam, aren't you?"

"Sort of..."

"Lola?"

"Okay! Yes, I'm troubled about my boyfriend."

"That explains the stranglehold on poor Rudolf back there," Zoey giggled slightly but soon regained her somber mood when her friend continued to pout. "Sorry. Just trying to lighten things up."

"Thanks." She rolled her eyes. "To be honest, I'm not really bothered about Liam..."

"It's something else isn't it?"

"Yeah... Jade."

"The goth girl? She seems pretty friendly to me," Zoey shrugged but discerned the tiniest sliver of iniquity emerged behind amber colored eyes. "Lola?"

"She is friendly, and that's the problem. I'm wondering how deep does their friendship go? What's their history?"

"Why didn't you just ask them?" Blue eyes matched the shade of iniquity of her olive-skinned friend. For a split moment, she could feel a dark sensation rushing through her head before it disappeared once more.

Shaking off the unwanted feeling, she looked up to see Lola gently rubbing her temples as if to say 'I felt it too'.

"Because I think they're hiding something..."

"Like what?"

"I don't know..." Lola bit her lip, gently nibbling the soft skin. At the same time, her techmate went off, indicating a new message.

* * *

The night sky shrouded the school grounds in a blanket of soft blue, mixing with the calm breeze to create the perfect scene for the duo of Jade and Liam. Thankfully, each pathway was well lit with lamp posts to easily guide the pair wherever they were intending to go. Given her earlier appearance, Liam gave her a pair of basketball shorts that fit her pretty well, actually a little too well as the black bottoms seemed to accentuate her lower body well enough. Since leaving his room, the two explored the campus, showing off the various hangout spots along with a few places that he'd use to get away from the other students. Eventually, they would find themselves walking around a long forgotten path that was well hidden behind a large group of trees.

In spite of all of this, Jade wasn't in the pleasant mood.

"Where exactly are you taking me?"

Much to her chagrin, Liam didn't respond. Instead, he continued putting his focus on the path ahead; he didn't want to get them lost.

"Liam, you haven't said anything since we left the dorms and it's kind of creepy." she huffed, crossing her arms under her breasts.

"Sorry, I just didn't want to ruin the surprise."

"What surprise?"

Her question would be answered when she laid eyes on a small clearing. In truth, it was an interesting sight, to say the least as she took in the sight of a rather old building that appeared to be abandoned, though not long enough to come off as dangerous. It was still pretty well kept as she'd soon find out while following her friend and crush inside.

"Welcome to my hiding spot." his upbeat voice pulled her from her exploration.

"I gotta say, this is a pretty cool hangout..." her eyes returned to the dark halls with fascination. "Bet, Lola's not too fond of this place though."

Unseen by her, Liam tensed sharply at the mention of his significant other.

"Actually..." apprehension soon reared its ugly head. "She doesn't know about this place... well, at least not that I hang out here from time to time."

Skepticism etched along her pale features, intrigue soon began to surface at the sudden revelation.

"Does anyone know about this place?" he shook his head, not trusting his own voice at the moment. "That means I'm the first and only one?"

"You want a megaphone to shout that out?"

"Nope, just wanted to know the situation... Plus, I just like poking fun at you too."

"Of course..."

"That being said, I doubt that you brought me here just to show off your secret clubhouse. Right?"

"Nothing get's passed you. I wanted us to have a safe place to talk, away from prying ears."

"I've taught you well." Jade nodded in approval; eager to see more of the old Liam that she remembered all those years ago.

"Come on." he took her hand, only to release it a split second later as if a spark had jolted him. "Sorry, I um..."

"It's fine..." she replied, feeling the same thing.

Their trek, aided by a coincidental assist by the full moon's illumination, didn't take too long as they traversed several flights of steps that'd lead them both to the rooftop. The two entered through the door, both a bit winded but, grateful at completing their journey. Jade, still trying to catch her breath, soon took a glance at her surroundings only to marvel at the scene laid out before her.

Along with several lawn chairs that folded into makeshift cots, she noticed the lone table and chairs that made this place rather comfortable in a simplistic way. She then walked past Liam until she arrived at the edge, taking in the sight of the city. Street lights combined with the soft ambiance of peace and tranquility to create a breathtaking view.

"It's not much... but, I like the solitude I get when I come here."

"I can see why you do!" she smiled, not grin, as she continued marveling. "This place is pretty badass, in my opinion."

"Glad you like it."

"I love it..." she finally turned back to him, leaning her body against the stone guardrail. "Thanks for inviting me here."

Though he didn't say anything, Jade could tell that he was grateful to have her here. Of course, that awkward silence began to creep in around the duo, slithering around like a serpent preparing to strike at its prey; the reason they came here.

Jade knew.

Liam knew it.

Yet, neither wanted to just come out about the subject that created this situation in the first place. It was like a wound that had healed improperly and now needed to be reopened in order to correctly being fixed. For Jade, that wound was still ongoing as her problems were still in existence long after Liam's departure. For Liam himself, the calm world he'd known was now in jeopardy of falling apart.

"Jade..."

"I guess I should start from the beginning, huh?" she watched as he reluctantly nodded. "Well, let's get the easy stuff out of the way first. After you left, the gang kind of just fell apart. Your sister and Shapiro are still together, and still annoying as hell. No offense."

"No offense taken," he smirked. "How's Ahrya doing herself?"

"She's the number one student in our class. She still misses you, but, she's accepted that you're gone and just left it at that."

Once more, that pang bit down on his heart. He hadn't thought about his old life or his sister/cousin in so long that it almost didn't appear real to him. As he took a seat in one of the lawn chairs, Jade followed suit, letting out a soft exhale. When she noticed his solemn reaction, she chose to resume her explanation.

"Andre and Cat come by from time to time, but, it's not the same. For once, Cat seems to be acting normal which is weird in and of itself. Unless she's around Andre, she hardly bounces or has a crazy story to bring up about her crazy brother. I just chose to ignore it... Outside of being wrapped up in his music, he's usually hanging around Cat."

"I'm glad their all doing well... or well enough." he cast his emeralds to the ground beneath him, depression weighing down on him at the realization that he was, somewhat, responsible for all of this happening. "I guess that leaves all of the heavy stuff now, huh?"

"Yeah..." Jade replied, hiding any expression from her tone. "But, before I tell you anything further, you must promise me one thing."

Sensing something amiss, Liam would find himself turning his entire body towards the gothic queen of Hollywood Arts. Was what she was about to say even worse than he thought? By now his mind was a rollercoaster of emotions, a whirlwind of uncertainty and curiosity mixed together in a cauldron of torment.

"W-what?" he cursed himself for the fear that escaped his lips.

"...that you won't do what you did with Trina," Azure crystals remained locked and focused as they peered into the soul of Liam. "Promise me that you won't blame yourself for anything that's happened to us over the last couple of years. I also don't want you freaking out or feeling like you have to save anyone either. Promise me, Liam!"

He opened his mouth, but words just wouldn't come out. In truth, it was his nature to feel responsible for something that, albeit indirectly, involved him. Even now, his mind took him to the darkest recesses where his worst thoughts dwelled. Looking at Jade West and studying her stone features, clearly, she was adamant about her terms and wouldn't budge in the least, not that he expected that.

"Okay..." he finally swallowed. "I promise, Jade."

Now it was her turn to analyze his appearance as she took in every detail presented to her. Azure orbs watched diligently for any signs of lies and yet, found none to be had. Surprisingly, this was a good sign in her opinion.

Still, she would take her time and practice caution throughout; what she was about to reveal was nothing to take lightly.

"Alright. As I'm sure you've already figured out, Beck is the reason for my black eye." she stopped abruptly to gauge Liam's reaction only to see him with a neutral mask. "To make a long story short, he's been abusive for some time now and-."

"How long?"

"What?" she frowned deeply.

"How long has he been abusing you?" his voice was enough to send an icy chill down her spine, despite the warm air around them.

"It started about six months after you left."

"What?!"

"You promised not to freak out!" she yelled back, watching him pout like a child that had just been disciplined.

"Sorry... Please continue."

Jade took a moment to allow her friend (and crush) to regain his composure before releasing the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding in.

"As I was saying, Beck and I had already been on the rocks after Trina disappeared and it only got worse after you left. I began to notice that he was acting weird at first but then strangely would become calm unless you were brought up. Whether it was in the group or in private, he would visibly show signs of irritation or visible anger. Eventually, he made it clear that he wanted no traces of you to remain in the group, so, he separated us from the group."

"Wow."

"That's only the tip of the iceberg though..." she chuckled bitterly. "Several months later, he made it clear that he didn't want you and I talking as it was deemed as cheating in his eyes. I tried to protest it but, he dismissed it and gave me an ultimatum: lose him or lose you... Guess which one I chose?"

"Jade, I..." he sat up, slumped in his seat as Jade held up a hand to cut him off once again.

"You don't have to pacify me," she averted her gaze, fearing the sight of sympathy that settled within his gaze. "I know it was a dumb decision and I'm paying for it. I abandoned our friendship so that I could hold onto what I thought was love. Instead, I lost that in favor of lust and disgust. The only thing I can say is that" she sniffed, wiping away the tears that stung the corners of her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I left you when you needed us the most..." In an instant, a helpless Liam watched as the floodgates opened, victorious in its battle with the dark-haired girl. "I was angry and hurt that you left and..."

She then a warmth envelop her body, soft skin caressing her own.

"You don't have to say anything else..." he whispered, feeling her involuntarily shiver. "You don't need to apologize, Jade."

"But..." she whimpered into his shirt. "I tried to hurt you! I chose that asshole over you and..."

"Jade..."

"I deserve this emptiness!"

"Jade."

"Maybe I do deserve to be abused!"

"Jade!" His booming voice echoed into the night, shocking her at the sudden fierceness behind it. "I'm sorry for yelling, but, I couldn't just let you keep justifying abuse..."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't," she wiped her face again, slowly coming back to the senses. "After everything that I've done, how can you say I shouldn't?"

At that moment, she saw it... that same realization from that day over two years ago. A light that shined from his heart, no matter the emotion expressed, was now noticeable once again only now, it was with a sincere smile. "Because look where we are now?"

Her face contorted from one of shame to that of confusion.

"You tracked me down. You fought to get onto the campus. You even went through Lola and the others to find me and try and mend our friendship! In my eyes, Jade, you've redeemed yourself."

"You really think so?" she asked soft enough for him to hear the desire for sincerity exuding from her heart.

"Absolutely."

Jade then lunged at the unsuspecting boy, capturing him in the tightest hug she could muster under her own strength. Aside from the initial shock, he returned the gesture with equal vigor. Strong arms held the girl just enough to let her know that she was safe with him and that's all Jade could ask for at the moment. The only questions now were where do they go from here?

While their relationship had been mended, there was still the case of Tori and... something else that made her wonder.

This feeling was... familiar?

"Liam?"

"Yeah, Jade?" his soft words made her heart flutter; another familiar sign that troubled her.

"Do you feel like we've done this before?"

He then pulled away, just enough to take in the troubled look on her face. In truth, he too felt something that made him begin to question everything he knew up to this point. It was as if everything after Trina's disappearance was not as it appeared to be. On top of that, Jade was experiencing similar effects?

"It's like... we've been through something like this before."

"And yet, I don't have any recollection of anything substantial other than the day you pinned me down for talking bad about the other Vega. It's all a fog, honestly..."

"Right. I just wish that I knew what to do." he shook his head slowly, trying to figure out the meaning of these dormant feeling inside of him. "Wait!"

"What?"

"That day! What were you thinking after I pinned you down?"

"Excuse me?" she raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I want to know what it was that you were about to do before Tori made me get off of you?"

"I don't see what it has to do with now..."

"Do it."

Jade's eyes slowly grew wider than ever before at the bluntness behind his statement. While he didn't know what he was asking for, Jade certainly did. On that day, she realized that she liked Liam as more than a friend and... it was the moment that she wanted to kiss him and make him forget about his past; she wanted to rid his mind and heart of Trina Vega.

"Liam, I can't... It wouldn't be right."

"But Jade," he tried to explain but, she pulled away. "I don't know why but, something is telling me that this... this life isn't really mine. It's like I don't belong..."

Sadly Jade wasn't listening, instead, she felt like she was ruining the life he'd worked so hard to build.

"I won't have you branded as a cheater..." she took in the scene of the city in the distance. "After seeing you and Lola together, I won't let you ruin that. Plus, I'm still with Beck..."

Seeing her resolve, Liam let out a sigh as his heart continued to pound through his ribcage. "I guess you're right. It wouldn't be fair to them since we're tied to them..."

"Exactly, and no matter how much I want to, I won't drag you down into a mess just for my sake."

"But what if I wasn't tied to Lola anymore?"

Jade West cut her eyes at the young man.

"You wouldn't..." she whispered, afraid that her words would initiate the very deed under suspicion. "Liam, you wouldn't break mmph!"

Her lips were captured abruptly, muffling her reprimanding, and most importantly, captivating her mind and heart. He was kissing her! Liam was kissing Jade West and she, despite her 'warning' accepted it. Slowly, her arms wrapped around his neck when a wave of understanding began to overtake her. Memories stemming from that fateful day soon started to flood in like a raging river, relentless in its arrival.

The two years of depression. Jade's confession on the lookout followed by Tori's. The competition. His severe injuries in Yerba. Them becoming a polyamorous couple. The girl's possession. New Orleans and more all swept back into her mind as did it with Liam as well. The moments were so intense that it forced them both to tear themselves from the other...

There stood, not just their best friend, but their soulmate.

"Tiger?" she struggled with the smile that threatened to split her face.

"Hey, Jade..." he mirrored, stepping closer to his beloved girlfriend. "I knew it."

"But how?"

Placing a finger under her chin, he lifted her face gently for another peck. "I could never forget my monster."

The two just held each other, neither willing to let their lover go, until the sounds of clapping ripping away their attention.

 **"Isn't that sweet?"** a recognizable voice put them on guard. **"It seems my now ex-boyfriend isn't as perfect as I thought."**

"..."

 **"Aww. What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"** This time, it was Zoey Brooks' voice that emerged from the roof's lone exit.

"Jade get behind me." he stretched out an arm to protect her, though he wasn't sure how he'd do that.

"I wouldn't worry too much about her safety, young prince..." Now a third voice rang in the couple's ear, only behind them.

"Who said that? What do you want with us?" he growled, at the invisible male.

A pair of footsteps could be heard from the darkness. Louder and louder it grew until a young man emerged from the pitch black depths. The figure was a young Caucasian male, lean in stature and having a brooding/arrogant appearance.

"Who the hell are you?" emerald eyes narrowed, careful not to lower his defenses.

"Wait, I recognize him..." Jade spoke up, though with the utmost disgust in her voice.

"Hello again, Jade..." his lips curled up into a dark and lecherous smirk. "You're looking good as usual."

"Whoever you are," Liam darkly interjected. "I'd advise you to stay away from her."

The young man turned his attention back to the young African-American glaring daggers at him.

"My apologies, where are my manners... I am known as Thoran," his hazel orbs returned the demonic look. "and I'm here to kill you, young master."

* * *

 **Main Characters (thus far)**

 **Liam Patterson:**

 **After finding out that Trina ran away, after sharing their first time with each other, a betrayed Liam decided that he no longer wanted to stay in a city that continued to destroy his outlook on the world. He chooses to transfer, winding up in PCA where it is learned that he encountered Zoey and the gang at some point. This is definitely true with Lola Martinez, whom he initially mistakes for Tori at first. After that awkward encounter, it is revealed that the two have become an item at some point. With a new semester looming in a month, he finds himself thrust back into the uncertainty of his past: the return of Jade West.**

 **After an initial argument, they both seem to settle things enough after, unintentionally, recreating the day they nearly killed each other. After a fit of laughter, they engage in an emotional back and forth that finally explained a little bit of why she came to PCA looking for him. As the conversation progressed, Liam & Jade seem to have rekindled their friendship, all while managing to avoid any misunderstandings with Lola and Zoey.**

 **Lola Martinez:**

 **Shortly after he transferred to PCA, Lola meets Liam at some point where the two share an awkward encounter with one another. Eventually, they form a strong friendship that, sometime later, form a romantic relationship. She happened to run into Jade West after overhearing her mentioning Liam and helped her get onto the campus grounds. After getting to know her, but, also seeing her boyfriend's reaction to her, it's safe to say that Lola will be keeping a close eye on the goth.**

 **It is later discovered that she and Liam became a couple after a school dance (more will be elaborated on in due time). Despite her reservations, she would find that Jade posed no threat to her and settled on her first impression of the girl. Now, with Zoey, she's looking to help out her new friend with the help of Quinn Pensky. Now, it turns out that she's not who she appears to be.**

 **Jade West:**

 **After finding out that her friend, Liam was leaving Hollywood, Jade, at some point, fell out with the young boy. After over a year of no communication, Jade went looking for him, while keeping her mission a secret from Beck, Tori, and the others. She tried to get in once she found a lead on his location but struggled to get inside until she met Lola, whom she also mistook for Tori Vega. The two eventually worked out the 'kinks' with that and soon, Jade was given access to PCA as a registered guest. Conflicted with her actions, she finds that her lead was true as she prepares the fateful encounter.**

 **She would explain her actions to Liam, after some verbal warfare that resulted in an emotional breakdown and revelation of their shared connection with Jade's boyfriend, Beck Oliver. While Liam had always known the truth since his departure, Jade was stunned to find out that his leaving had little to do with Trina Vega but her significant other. After a tearful embrace, she can rest easy (to some degree) knowing that her bond with Liam is still intact after not speaking for years.**

 **Zoey Brooks**

 **While having the least to do personally so far, Zoey is responsible for Liam and Lola formally meeting after his arrival at PCA. She even introduced him to the other members of her friendship circle which opened the door for him to start a new life. Throughout his time there, she tried to get him to open up about his past but only succeeded in getting tidbits and general information about his life before PCA. Now, she has a better understanding after eavesdropping on his and Jade's discussion about their past connection.**

 **She now seems to handle the role of "Voice of Reason" very well as she had the most level-headed resolve out of the four so far, even coming up with the idea of bringing in their good friend, albeit reluctantly, Quinn Pensky.**

 **Thoran**

 **Not much is known about this mysterious young man except that he is directly tied to the world that Liam and Jade are currently trapped in. On top of that, it seems that his main goal is to kill Liam, but, what is his reasoning for doing so?**


	56. Chapter 51

**Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

"Liam, I can't... It wouldn't be right."

"But Jade," he tried to explain but, she pulled away. "I don't know why but, something is telling me that this... this life isn't really mine. It's like I don't belong..."

Sadly Jade wasn't listening, instead, she felt like she was ruining the life he'd worked so hard to build.

"I won't have you branded as a cheater..." she took in the scene of the city in the distance. "After seeing you and Lola together, I won't let you ruin that. Plus, I'm still with Beck..."

Seeing her resolve, Liam let out a sigh as his heart continued to pound through his ribcage. "I guess you're right. It wouldn't be fair to them since we're tied to them..."

"Exactly, and no matter how much I want to, I won't drag you down into a mess just for my sake."

"But what if I wasn't tied to Lola anymore?"

Jade West cut her eyes at the young man.

"You wouldn't..." she whispered, afraid that her words would initiate the very deed under suspicion. "Liam, you wouldn't break mmph!"

Her lips were captured abruptly, muffling her reprimanding, and most importantly, captivating her mind and heart. He was kissing her! Liam was kissing Jade West and she, despite her 'warning' accepted it. Slowly, her arms wrapped around his neck when a wave of understanding began to overtake her. Memories stemming from that fateful day soon started to flood in like a raging river, relentless in its arrival.

The two years of depression. Jade's confession on the lookout followed by Tori's. The competition. His severe injuries in Yerba. Them becoming a polyamorous couple. The girl's possession. New Orleans and more all swept back into her mind as did it with Liam as well. The moments were so intense that it forced them both to tear themselves from the other...

There stood, not just their best friend, but their soulmate.

"Tiger?" she struggled with the smile that threatened to split her face.

"Hey, Jade..." he mirrored, stepping closer to his beloved girlfriend. "I knew it."

"But how?"

Placing a finger under her chin, he lifted her face gently for another peck. "I could never forget my monster."

The two just held each other, neither willing to let their lover go, until the sounds of clapping ripping away their attention.

 **"Isn't that sweet?"** a recognizable voice put them on guard. **"It seems my now ex-boyfriend isn't as perfect as I thought."**

"..."

 **"Aww. What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"** This time, it was Zoey Brooks' voice that emerged from the roof's lone exit.

"Jade get behind me." he stretched out an arm to protect her, though he wasn't sure how he'd do that.

"I wouldn't worry too much about her safety, young prince..." Now a third voice rang in the couple's ear, only behind them.

"Who said that? What do you want with us?" he growled, at the invisible male.

A pair of footsteps could be heard from the darkness. Louder and louder it grew until a young man emerged from the pitch black depths. The figure was a young Caucasian male, lean in stature and having a brooding/arrogant appearance.

"Who the hell are you?" emerald eyes narrowed, careful not to lower his defenses.

"Wait, I recognize him..." Jade spoke up, though with the utmost disgust in her voice.

"Hello again, Jade..." his lips curled up into a dark and lecherous smirk. "You're looking good as usual."

"Whoever you are," Liam darkly interjected. "I'd advise you to stay away from her."

The young man turned his attention back to the young African-American glaring daggers at him.

"My apologies, where are my manners... I am known as Thoran," his hazel orbs returned the demonic look. "and I'm here to kill you, young master."

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 51: Dark Tunnel**

The sudden chill contrasted the warm summer air surrounding the flock of students. On one side stood Liam and Jade who were trying their best to understand what was going on. On the other end stood this mysterious young man surrounded by what the former thought were his friends and (now former) lover.

"Kill me?" a bead of sweat ran down the side of his head. "Just who the hell are you?"

"As I've mentioned before, young master, I'm here to kill you. Or, I would if I were able to..." As expected, the statement made the couple's eyebrows raise in both confusion and caution. "Without going into too many details, I'm destined to kill you although, I am unable to yet."

"Yet?"

"Indeed." corners twitched violently as if symbolizing some form of struggle. "While I prefer to remain anonymous for the time being you may call me Thoran. You see, my 'friends' here are not who they appear to be. While they are known to you as Lola, Zoey, and the like, they are in fact merely Rakshasa. Sadly, they were unable to keep you oblivious to the truth while in this mindscape." A dark and sinister glare flashed towards the feminine figures on either side of him, causing them to flinch in response. "I needed them to keep you occupied long enough while I located your whereabouts. Unfortunately, it seems that something went wrong with my plan."

"Just what are you getting at freak?!" Jade erupted, pouring her sudden rage out with each word, drawing Thoran's eyes; a result that served to only further disgust the goth girl even more. "What the hell are you talking about 'mindscape'?"

"Ah, Jade West... seems you still have that fire that shows how little of a threat you really are."

"Come over here and I'll show you just how much of a threat I can be."

Thankfully, Liam threw his arm out signaling for Jade to cease the verbal battle.

"Relax, Jade... Whoever this Thoran is, he's just trying to bait you."

"You misjudge, young master. I wouldn't dare do such as thing; especially to one as comical as she. I truth, Jade West was nothing more than a pawn in this game."

"What game?"

"Unfortunately, I can't tell you yet. It would spoil the surprise." He brushed some of his black hair of his face before turning around to leave, puzzling the pair. Just before he reached the door, he turned, cutting his hazel eyes over his shoulders. "But, I will say this: Stay alive until I have the honor of killing you myself."

"But, Lord Thoran..."

"Do NOT kill him...!" the young man suddenly snapped only to suddenly regain his composure as he took a deep breath. "Liam is off limits. Understood?"

The demons nodded, clearly disappointed.

Then, a sadistic grin steadily slithered along his lips as he spared one final glance at none other than Jade West. "You can do whatever you please with her."

"Hey! Wait a min-!"

He wouldn't be able to finish his statement as the constructed form of Lola and Zoey both lunged at them. Their eyes glowed furiously with hate and rage as one by one, they zoomed past the young man with clear intentions. In the midst of the commotion, Thoran simply watched with a look that suggests that was uncaring of the outcome.

In his mind, none of it mattered as this was just another round in the aforementioned game.

"Every piece will fall into place, young master."

As expected, the demons began to swarm around a helpless Jade as her boyfriend could only look on in horror. Try as he may, it seemed that nothing he did would draw the attention of the two demonic entities away from his beloved. A head-on attack only resulted in the hellacious vortex knocking him back from the sheer force of their might. The next attempt was a futile attempt at reasoning; an action that made him facepalm at the sheer stupidity of the idea.

"Liam!" he shuddered from the terrifying shriek coming from the goth.

"Jade!"

He picked himself up, preparing to rush in again.

"It's hopeless, you know?" Thoran's nonchalant tone stopped him dead in his tracks. "You're a human. You can't possibly stop the power of spirits."

"Then call off those creatures!"

"I don't think so..."

Liam stared at the boy, not liking what he was seeing. The figure was just standing there, staring at the horrific scene unfolding without so much as a care in the world. His hazel eyes were blank, almost as if the events of Jade's suffering were nothing more than a failed attempt at entertainment. To make matters worse, this creep had the nerve to yawn.

 _Kill..._

That was all Liam needed to hear.

Fists clenched, he lashed out at the one who dares to put out the hit on his lover. He cocked back his 'weapon of choice' and, with all the strength he could muster, unleashed all of his contempt at the seemingly defenseless male.

"Foolish boy..." Liam stood there gritting his teeth as his punch wasn't dodged but caught in mid-strike yet, it was how that surprised him. In front of him stood a still underwhelmed Thoran, hands tightly tucked into his pockets. He was sure that his hit had connected with something but, whatever it was, he had no choice but to accept that it wasn't any part of the boy's anatomy. Whatever it was, it had not only caught his blow but was inflicting a high degree of pain forcing Liam to his knees in response. "You still don't see it do you?"

"S-see what?"

"Pity..." Thoran scoffed in annoyance. "Then allow me to show you, master."

Several questions ran through the mind of Liam but only one was answered as eyes that shined with the beauty of a rain forest under the suns warm rays widened in horror at the sight unfolding before him. Where there was normal and fair skin originally, it was now turning into a dark grayish hue, matching the eyes until they too began to shift into demonic crimson rings; eyes of brimstone that even he couldn't stand to stare into for too long. "But wait! There's more." Then, the air around Thoran began to twist and contort until its form was now visible to the naked eye.

The end result was that of a beast the likes in which was determined to be extinct if it'd even existed at all. A sickly shade of yellow and black made up most of the creature's body. Its fangs were long and sharp, obviously, the reason for the pain Liam was feeling in his fist. Eyes as black as the night staring at what it could only assume to be its next meal with no regard for the injury it was inflicting would haunt the young male for years to come.

"What the hell is this...?!"

"Just my guard dog..." Thoran finally allowed a smirk to appear. The beast bit down a bit more, drawing blood in the process, much to its owner's (and prey's) chagrin. "Down boy..."

The beast took a moment to let out a low growl only to release its jaws from around the wounded limb before walking to its master, nuzzling his leg like a feline. Clutching his nearly mangled paw, Liam simply shot a glare at the two before turning his attention back towards his still afflicted lover. He was caught between a rock and a hard place as it seemed the situation was impossible to overcome. On one hand, he had two demons tormenting Jade in an impenetrable vortex. On the other end, there was this weirdo accompanied by some ancient (he assumed) 'dog' that was protecting him.

"Let her go..." he bit his lips, hoping to halt its quivering.

"Now why would I want to do that?"

"I'm begging you..."

"Begging me?"

"Liam Patterson is willing to grovel for Jade West?"

"Please..." The word came out as no more than a squeak through a throat tightened in desperation. He fell to his knees not daring to meet the influenced eyes of this madman while staring at the ground. "JUST LET HER GO!"

"Brother!"

* * *

 **Real World**

"Do you think she made it?" strong Cajun words passed the lips of one Remy who stared at the still body of his childhood friend.

"Of course," Celeste ceased her quiet chanting to address the male bokor. "Once we found a link to the mindscape, we were able to connect to it thanks to Lucille. As you stated earlier, she had the strongest connection to the others. Now, all we can do is wait to bring them back, assuming she's able to find where they are in this world."

"Would you mind explaining, Madame?" he crossed his arms, processing everything she was telling him.

"Gladly. You see, while we were able to find the general location, there is still the issue of finding each and every one of them specifically. Like here in the natural world, there are billions of people living in this constructed world and that makes it difficult to pinpoint a direct spot to send her. Fortunately, it seems that Liam and Jade are currently in the same area which made it a bit easier for us to start with."

"Fair enough..." Remy shrugged. "Then I guess the only question that remains is: Will she make it in time?"

On cue, Celeste let out a troubled sigh. They both knew that something was amiss within the world and whoever was controlling it. In truth, she'd hoped to avoid having to send anyone inside to retrieve the youth but, sadly, it was found to be impossible considering the tome's powers, we can only bring them out after finding them. Add to the fact that whoever was in possession of the Livro da ilusão was no one to take lightly.

"Of that, I do not know."

* * *

 **Liam & Jade**

"Who the hell is that?!" Thoran howled in pain as a blinding light cut through the sky.

Even the demonic forms of Lola and Zoey had stopped their assault on the goth. Now sporting some minor cuts and bruises, Jade couldn't thank whoever (or whatever) that bright light was that pierced the darkness above. Even Liam, who shielded his eyes with his good hand was thankful that the screaming had stopped but was confused at what the mysterious voice called him.

'Brother? Wait...' he pondered while struggling to his feet. "...It couldn't be. Could it?"

"Glad to see you too, knucklehead!" the familiar (and welcome) voice began to take shape in front of the surprised boy.

"Big sis!" he eagerly wrapped his arms around the young woman's body, capturing her in a desperate embrace; a gesture she happily reciprocated.

As if time stood still, the others watched in a mix of wonder (Jade), confusion (Lola & Zoey), and irritation (Thoran) as the two siblings slowly pulled apart. The two demons quickly shook off the puzzled sensation and charged at the two. With fury, they sought to let their new prey know that they were none too pleased their 'playdate' was interrupted.

Oddly, Lucille let a not so subtle smirk cross her lips as she extended her right hand to the two denizens of darkness. As the two younger friends looked on, she effortlessly grabbed the demon Zoey Brooks neck and squeezed with all of her might until the figure turned into ash, leaving behind the scent of brimstone behind. This left a now fearful Lola who began to tremble from what she'd just witnessed at the hands of a mere human. Her dark rings flickered with both hatred and horror as it was evident that she didn't want to suffer the same fate that befell her friend.

"I suggest that you don't run and make this easier for both of us, démon..."

The malicious entity refused as it slowly began backing away in mid-air until it neared the spot where Jade was earlier. Lucille simply stared back at the cowering creature. Behind her dual colored orbs lied a fierceness that was unwavering to anything else. Well... almost anything.

"Damn..." she cut her gaze for just a moment at the hissing Liam who, while still clutching his slightly gnarled hand, glared enraged at the empty spot where Thoran once stood. "That son of a bitch escaped..."

This was all the time the infernal beast needed as she took off into the night, tattered wings flapping violently in the night. Jade continued to look on until there was no more sight of it before gingerly making her way to her boyfriend and his sister. With each agonizing step, she pressed on until Lucille managed to reach her and assist her. It was good timing as at the moment the two embraced, the goth's legs began to buckle from underneath her.

"It's okay, I got you..." the older woman whispered gently.

"Thanks."

"Of course! Anything for my future sister-in-law..." she giggled as Jade's pale skin began to grow flush with pink. "Relax! Let's get out of this place."

"Where are we anyway?" she inquired.

"You both have been locked into an illusion by that guy. You both were brought here shortly after arriving in town. How? I don't know... but for now, we can leave this place and regroup. Mother will explain things better than I can."

That was an idea that they all could agree on. Liam and Jade finally tore themselves from their personal traumatic experiences. They instead chose to savor the fact that they were both safe from that sociopathic character that sent them to this fabricated world, to begin with. Embarrassment aside, the trio were just happy to have this situation resolved for now. In a flash, the three were transported back to the home of Celeste where she and Remy watched in earnest at their arrival.

* * *

 **Real World**

"My child!" she excitedly kissed the boy all over his face, leaving no spot untouched.

"Mom! Cut it out!" he playfully whined.

"We're glad that you made it back..." Green eyes then met with hazel portals, a silence permeating from the two males for what felt like ages.

"Good to be back..." he smirked confidently, extending his hand to which the older man graciously accepted.

Celeste took the time to tend to their wounds before a sudden realization hit her. Something was completely off about her younger sibling; more specifically, his right limb.

"Liam, your hand...!"

* * *

 **Hey guys! Sorry for the big delay and I apologize for the short chapter. I've been dealing with a lot lately but I'm back now. I wanted to keep things simple with Thoran's character and will elaborate on that more with each passing chapter. In the meantime, I'll take a short break from this fic and work on another one just to keep my mind sharp while working on the next step for Demons Within. I hope that you like this and be on the** look out **for the next chapter as it'll (hopefully) be out in a couple of weeks at the latest.**

 **Main Characters (thus far)**

 **Liam Patterson:**

 **After finding out that Trina ran away, after sharing their first time with each other, a betrayed Liam decided that he no longer wanted to stay in a city that continued to destroy his outlook on the world. He chooses to transfer, winding up in PCA where it is learned that he encountered Zoey and the gang at some point. This is definitely true with Lola Martinez, whom he initially mistakes for Tori at first. After that awkward encounter, it is revealed that the two have become an item at some point. With a new semester looming in a month, he finds himself thrust back into the uncertainty of his past: the return of Jade West.**

 **After an initial argument, they both seem to settle things enough after, unintentionally, recreating the day they nearly killed each other. After a fit of laughter, they engage in an emotional back and forth that finally explained a little bit of why she came to PCA looking for him. As the conversation progressed, Liam & Jade seem to have rekindled their friendship, all while managing to avoid any misunderstandings with Lola and Zoey.**

 **Lola Martinez:**

 **Shortly after he transferred to PCA, Lola meets Liam at some point where the two share an awkward encounter with one another. Eventually, they form a strong friendship that, sometime later, form a romantic relationship. She happened to run into Jade West after overhearing her mentioning Liam and helped her get onto the campus grounds. After getting to know her, but, also seeing her boyfriend's reaction to her, it's safe to say that Lola will be keeping a close eye on the goth.**

 **It is later discovered that she and Liam became a couple after a school dance (more will be elaborated on in due time). Despite her reservations, she would find that Jade posed no threat to her and settled on her first impression of the girl. Now, with Zoey, she's looking to help out her new friend with the help of Quinn Pensky. Now, it turns out that she's not who she appears to be.**

 **Jade West:**

 **After finding out that her friend, Liam was leaving Hollywood, Jade, at some point, fell out with the young boy. After over a year of no communication, Jade went looking for him, while keeping her mission a secret from Beck, Tori, and the others. She tried to get in once she found a lead on his location but struggled to get inside until she met Lola, whom she also mistook for Tori Vega. The two eventually worked out the 'kinks' with that and soon, Jade was given access to PCA as a registered guest. Conflicted with her actions, she finds that her lead was true as she prepares the fateful encounter.**

 **She would explain her actions to Liam, after some verbal warfare that resulted in an emotional breakdown and revelation of their shared connection with Jade's boyfriend, Beck Oliver. While Liam had always known the truth since his departure, Jade was stunned to find out that his leaving had little to do with Trina Vega but her significant other. After a tearful embrace, she can rest easy (to some degree) knowing that her bond with Liam is still intact after not speaking for years.**

 **Zoey Brooks**

 **While having the least to do personally so far, Zoey is responsible for Liam and Lola formally meeting after his arrival at PCA. She even introduced him to the other members of her friendship circle which opened the door for him to start a new life. Throughout his time there, she tried to get him to open up about his past but only succeeded in getting tidbits and general information about his life before PCA. Now, she has a better understanding after eavesdropping on his and Jade's discussion about their past connection.**

 **She now seems to handle the role of "Voice of Reason" very well as she had the most level-headed resolve out of the four so far, even coming up with the idea of bringing in their good friend, albeit reluctantly, Quinn Pensky.**

 **Thoran**

 **Not much is known about this mysterious young man except that he is directly tied to the world that Liam and Jade are currently trapped in. On top of that, it seems that his main goal is to kill Liam, but, what is his reasoning for doing so?**


	57. Chapter 52

**Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

As if time stood still, the others watched in a mix of wonder (Jade), confusion (Lola & Zoey), and irritation (Thoran) as the two siblings slowly pulled apart. The two demons quickly shook off the puzzled sensation and charged at the two. With fury, they sought to let their new prey know that they were none too pleased their 'playdate' was interrupted.

Oddly, Lucille let a not so subtle smirk cross her lips as she extended her right hand to the two denizens of darkness. As the two younger friends looked on, she effortlessly grabbed the demon Zoey Brooks neck and squeezed with all of her might until the figure turned into ash, leaving behind the scent of brimstone behind. This left a now fearful Lola who began to tremble from what she'd just witnessed at the hands of a mere human. Her dark rings flickered with both hatred and horror as it was evident that she didn't want to suffer the same fate that befell her friend.

"I suggest that you don't run and make this easier for both of us, démon..."

The malicious entity refused as it slowly began backing away in mid-air until it neared the spot where Jade was earlier. Lucille simply stared back at the cowering creature. Behind her dual colored orbs lied a fierceness that was unwavering to anything else. Well... almost anything.

"Damn..." she cut her gaze for just a moment at the hissing Liam who, while still clutching his slightly gnarled hand, glared enraged at the empty spot where Thoran once stood. "That son of a bitch escaped..."

This was all the time the infernal beast needed as she took off into the night, tattered wings flapping violently in the night. Jade continued to look on until there was no more sight of it before gingerly making her way to her boyfriend and his sister. With each agonizing step, she pressed on until Lucille managed to reach her and assist her. It was good timing as at the moment the two embraced, the goth's legs began to buckle from underneath her.

"It's okay, I got you..." the older woman whispered gently.

"Thanks."

"Of course! Anything for my future sister-in-law..." she giggled as Jade's pale skin began to grow flush with pink. "Relax! Let's get out of this place."

"Where are we anyway?" she inquired.

"You both have been locked into an illusion by that guy. You both were brought here shortly after arriving in town. How? I don't know... but for now, we can leave this place and regroup. Mother will explain things better than I can."

That was an idea that they all could agree on. Liam and Jade finally tore themselves from their personal traumatic experiences. They instead chose to savor the fact that they were both safe from that sociopathic character that sent them to this fabricated world, to begin with. Embarrassment aside, the trio were just happy to have this situation resolved for now. In a flash, the three were transported back to the home of Celeste where she and Remy watched in earnest at their arrival.

 **Real World**

"My child!" she excitedly kissed the boy all over his face, leaving no spot untouched.

"Mom! Cut it out!" he playfully whined.

"We're glad that you made it back..." Green eyes then met with hazel portals, a silence permeating from the two males for what felt like ages.

"Good to be back..." he smirked confidently, extending his hand to which the older man graciously accepted.

Celeste took the time to tend to their wounds before a sudden realization hit her. Something was completely off about her younger sibling; more specifically, his right limb.

"Liam, your hand...!"

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 52: A New Threat**

Despite the warm environment, the air around Liam was ice cold as he stared at the back of his already injured hand. What met his shocked gaze was a sinister looking mark that slowly began to shift and contort until it began to form a coherent shape. There was no pain or, any feeling for that matter as the formerly mangled fist was now devoid of any evidence of the previous attack.

"Where did you get this?" Celeste asked, her voice now taking a more intimidating tone.

While it was expected, she was surprised when Liam pulled away slightly as a result. His heart began to pound harder and harder, threatening to shatter the bones designed to protect it from outside harm; his focus never once leaving the still twisting mark. A few more seconds passed by before it finally ceased its slithering and rested into a solid shape:

"A wolf?"

"Interesting..." It was Jade who looked up at the contemplating Remy rubbing his scruffy chin. "It seems that whatever this marking is, it is tied to the will of the Livro da ilusão and its wielder." Seeing the collective stares of confusion from the others, he chuckled lightly before continuing his explanation. "If anything happened to the lad while in the created world, then its pretty clear that's where it came from. For what purpose I can't say as I don't know."

"Is there anything that can be done to help?" Lucille spoke up, clearly a bit annoyed with the helplessness of the situation and worried for her brother's sake.

"For now, I can say that there's nothing to worry about here in the natural world as he was infected by the beast in that world. Simply put, its something that will only exhibit signs of affecting him if he goes back into any realm constructed from the power of the tome."

For the first time since their return, relief began to set in with the group.

"At least we don't have to worry about that..." Jade wrapped her arms around her lover cradling her head on his shoulder.

"Unfortunately, there's one problem with that idea, missy..." Azure shot open, trying to ascertain what the bokor meant. Sensing this, he simply pointed behind them to their unconscious friends. "You two weren't the only ones sent into that twisted world."

Andre.

Cat.

Beck.

Trina.

Mercedes.

Lastly, there was a certain Latina lying on the plush couch a few feet away from the two teens. Her features, full of tranquil beauty, only served to mask the cruel reality that cut deep into the two's very soul, creating a painful truth that neither could (or would) deny.

"We have to go back..."

* * *

Back in Los Angeles, a local street gang had all but filled out the large warehouse, each wondering and inquiring about their reason for being summoned. Each second that passed, the hushed murmurs would only increase in volume as the members began to grow more and more impatient.

"Yo, any idea why the boss called us here?" one of the thugs whispered to a young woman next to him.

"Not a clue..." she shook her head slowly, releasing a sigh of irritation in the process. "All I know is that it was urgent. Other than that, I'm just as lost as you are."

"Mad Dog's reasons are his to know, and for you to find out."

The two turned around with fear in their hearts upon hearing the voice resonating behind them. When their eyes finally settled on the figure, he pushed past them without another word, an unreadable expression decorating cold white features. Instinctively, the group grew silent, leaving only the sound of combat boots echoing throughout the enormous facility.

The sea of bodies began to part, reminding the young man of a story he read in the Bible; he smirked in amusement towards the similarities.

"My brothers and sisters," He pressed forward until he was greeted by a flight of steps that would normally lead to an office overhead. "I know what you're all wondering: 'What have we done now?'..." He smirked as the various young men and women nodded in agreement. "Rest assured, this is a happy occasion. Tonight, I have what I've sought after for so long, and I want to thank you all for your patience by giving you all a vacation. For the next several weeks, I'll be off in New Orleans for a... family emergency and I trust that you all will be on your 'best' behavior?"

The crowd erupted into a fit of laughter, easily tickled by the joke.

"With that said, you're all free to do as you wish until I return. Understood?"

A wave of cheers and laughter filled the place, leaving the alleged leader to ascend up the stairs to his office. As he walked through the door, he was greeted by a young woman who seemed to be awaiting his arrival. Sitting along the desk, she did little to hide the amusement behind her eyes, dark violet peering into the young man's soul. Her long brown hair accentuated her delicate features and yet, there was something sinister behind her innocent face.

"I'm impressed..."

"Should I be flattered? I've been running this gang since we've been in high school... since..."

"Since your brother passed away..." she finished, noting the brief moment of reflection sparking within his own optics before being replaced once more by confidence. "But, I wasn't referring to your ability to control the masses. You've always had that in spades, I must admit. What I was referring to was your surprising ability to not only use the tome but, how quickly you've mastered its contents and abilities without succumbing to the side-effects."

His response was an audible scoff that reverberated throughout the medium sized room.

"In that case, you honor me with your words, mademoiselle. However, forgive me for asking but what brings a lovely bokor such as yourself to my neck of the woods? Business? Or pleasure?"

The young girl simply stood up from her spot on the oak wood before approaching her host. Each step brought her closer while her grin grew wider in response. Soon enough, the two were now mere inches apart, each savoring the electricity that threatened to break out into a full born storm if left unchecked. It would be the young man who would initiate contact first, placing his hands on her shapely hips.

His touch elicited a slight gasp of pleasure; a fact that he noticed when her lips parted as a result.

Not one to be outdone, his guest wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him full access to the scent of lavender that caressed his nose.

"Why not both?" she whispered, not tearing her gaze from his own.

"Because you're never one for being predictable."

"Smart man..." she planted a soft kiss onto his lips, just enough to take in his cologne; just the right amount of 'Forbidden Essence' that made her knees want to buckle. "Seems you really are a fast learner, Thoran."

"You know I don't use that name here."

The dark glare he flashed only earned him a soft giggle and the soft touch of her hand placed on his cheek.

"My apologies, Mad Dog." she playfully pouted before placing another chaste kiss near the corner of his lips. "Is that better?"

"Whatever," he rolls his eyes though couldn't resist the grin that tugged along his face. "You know you can use my real name. I prefer it actually."

"Very well then... Now, I did have a bit of business to discuss involving a particular item. I trust that you've been a good boy with your new toy?"

"Funny..." he scoffed, missing the dark gaze fixated on his nonchalant features.

"I mean it. The Livro da ilusão is nothing to take lightly. If you underestimate the power it possesses, then you'll end up no better than your ancestor."

For once, the young man known as Mad Dog got serious, leaving behind the carefree demeanor he grew accustomed to using.

"Alright. In all seriousness, I've only been able to tap into two the powers within the book," he paused just long enough to study his guest's face, content when she nodded for him to continue. "The first was that I was able to tap into the memories, albeit in pieces thus far, of my aforementioned ancestor. It allowed to access his power of summoning and controlling demons. While his past is annoying, I have to admit that its also a welcome chance to study these weird feelings that I've been feeling."

"What feelings are you talking about?"

"That guy, Liam..." Slowly he raised his right hand, clutching his skull just enough to feel the pulse flowing through his temples. "I just don't get it. Before we graduated, I couldn't care less about that guy or his pathetic friends but now? Now all I can think about is either protecting him from others or..."

"Killing him yourself?" she finished; her tone holding just the tiniest of emotions as he looked up with a sinister grin that let her know a little about how much of his sanity was tied to everything going on.

"Exactly..."

Instead of being creeped out, the girl looked upon him as if he was the most desirable an in the world. Instead of backing away, or even flinching for that matter, she chose to approach him once more until they were mere inches apart. Though she was shorter than him, that didn't stop her from taking the helm of things by grabbing his face and capturing his mouth in a hard and passionate liplock. The air around them both seemed to stand still as they continued their makeout session, only separating when the need for oxygen became too great.

"You're not a bad kisser..." she giggled, eyes focused on the portals of darkness that peered back at her. "If I'd known you were capable of such malice, I would've chosen you from the beginning."

"Better late than never."

"True. In the meantime, you still haven't told me what the second thing you obtained from the Livro da ilusão was."

"It's a rather long story," he grinned deviously at her, hoping for another kiss from the ebony goddess in his arms.

While she didn't take the bait, she did give a sign of things to come by slowly tracing her tongue over her full lips.

"We have plenty of time..."

* * *

 **Hey guys,**

 **I know that this was a short chapter but it was necessary so that I can get things moving forward. In truth, I've been dealing with severe writer's block for what felt like ages and just now managed to come up with a good direction for our heroes and villains. It took some time but it will be revealed in the next chapter as Liam and Jade will work to find out what's happened to their friends and unravel the mystery of how and why this occurred in the first place.**

 **Also, to be frank, I forgot to mention that this takes place about a year after the events in the previous arc, making the gang about 18 or 19 (20+ if you count Trina & Mercedes age as well). I'll be posting the next chapter in, hopefully, a few days at the latest so that we can keep this story rolling. Thanks to you all for the love and support of this story as we're near 7000 views and gaining favorites and followers!**

 **See you all in the next chapter and have a good night (or day depending on where you're living lol)**


	58. Chapter 53

**Hey guys! Well, in light of my last (and extremely short) chapter, I wanted to give just a little insight on the what's to come in this arc. If any of you have read any of my older (and unfinished) stories, you'll know that I was working on a revised and more detailed version of Monsters. Well, that went over like a wet fart so instead, I'll be integrating that story here.**

 **While I also realize that the main character's name was Travis in that story, Liam will essentially be taking his spot and the overall story will be heavily edited to fit the story here. As always, thanks for the love and support and let's get underway! P.S. this is going to be a long chapter... You've been warned.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer :**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.  
** **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

"Alright. In all seriousness, I've only been able to tap into two the powers within the book," he paused just long enough to study his guest's face, content when she nodded for him to continue. "The first was that I was able to tap into the memories, albeit in pieces thus far, of my aforementioned ancestor. It allowed to access his power of summoning and controlling demons. While his past is annoying, I have to admit that its also a welcome chance to study these weird feelings that I've been feeling."

"What feelings are you talking about?"

"That guy, Liam..." Slowly he raised his right hand, clutching his skull just enough to feel the pulse flowing through his temples. "I just don't get it. Before we graduated, I couldn't care less about that guy or his pathetic friends but now? Now all I can think about is either protecting him from others or..."

"Killing him yourself?" she finished; her tone holding just the tiniest of emotions as he looked up with a sinister grin that let her know a little about how much of his sanity was tied to everything going on.

"Exactly..."

Instead of being creeped out, the girl looked upon him as if he was the most desirable an in the world. Instead of backing away, or even flinching for that matter, she chose to approach him once more until they were mere inches apart. Though she was shorter than him, that didn't stop her from taking the helm of things by grabbing his face and capturing his mouth in a hard and passionate liplock. The air around them both seemed to stand still as they continued their makeout session, only separating when the need for oxygen became too great.

"You're not a bad kisser..." she giggled, eyes focused on the portals of darkness that peered back at her. "If I'd known you were capable of such malice, I would've chosen you from the beginning."

"Better late than never."

"True. In the meantime, you still haven't told me what the second thing you obtained from the Livro da ilusão was."

"It's a rather long story," he grinned deviously at her, hoping for another kiss from the ebony goddess in his arms.

While she didn't take the bait, she did give a sign of things to come by slowly tracing her tongue over her full lips.

"We have plenty of time..."

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 53: Down the Rabbit Hole**

Several hours passed as Liam & Jade sat in complete silence, neither able to comprehend the magnitude of what they were being tasked with. Over the last several hours since their escape from that cursed fabricated reality of Thoran's, the pair would just sit next to each other, each trying their best to stomach having to return to that abomination of a world, even if it was to rescue their lover and friends.

By now, they were anxiously waiting for the trio of Remy, Lucille, and Celeste to return with the final briefing.

"Hey," Jade looked up, pulled from her thoughts by the solemness behind her boyfriend's voice.

"Hey, tiger. What's on your mind?"

"How are you feeling about all of this?"

"I'm fine..."

"Jade...?"

"I'm doing okay..." She looked back at him, eyes clouded with a myriad of emotions pertaining to everything happening. "We'll go into this wild and crazy world and rescue the others. Just another chapter in our lives, right?"

There it was; the truth coming out in her tone without inhibition.

No doubt, this was a subject that bothered him to his soul. Throughout every event that'd occurred, he always wondered about having a life of normalcy. Sure, Jade was always the type who was into the weird and wacky things in life but, deep down he knew that even she had a limit to just how much she could take as well. His mind then began to drift back to the unconscious forms of the others. It was one thing when they were trapped in Yerba or dealing with snarky, untalented girls but this? This was too much...

"No..." Jade then turned to him with eyes wide and focused on the figure sitting across from her. "This isn't going to be just another chapter in our lives, Jade."

"What? What are you talking about?"

He slowly looked up, hardening his resolve as he studied his gothic princess. Behind his eyes, an unreadable wall that only she and Tori could decipher throughout their time together. He was cooking up a plan, one that both knew she wouldn't agree with. As expected, she flashed a glare full of anger right back at him, though it did little to sway his decision. No words needed to be said for either of them to know where this conversation was headed.

Still, he thought it best to verbally express what was already hinted at.

"Jade I-"

"NO!" she erupted, catching the attention of everyone in the homestead. "You're not leaving me behind to do this by yourself! I won't let you! Do you hear me?!"

"But I-"

"But what?! What can you possibly say that doesn't result in you doing something completely stupid and macho?! News flash: I don't want you to be this big macho man! That's not who I fell in love with, do you understand? That's not who Tori fell for either!" For once Liam remained quiet, partially to avoid inciting any more of Jade's wrath upon himself. "Yes we were impressed with how protective you can be when it comes to our safety, but it was your kindness and gentle soul that keeps us with you..."

At this point, all he could see was concern and love behind those tearful sapphires; a testament of her own resolve. It was enough to pierce his own defenses and infiltrate the steel mind and soul that he'd thought to be impenetrable mere seconds ago. Oh, how he loved and hated her ability to accomplish this. His only response was to approach the pale young woman who simply narrowed her eyes as he knelt down in front of her.

As her lips parted to ask what he was doing, only a gasp passed through once she felt the warmth of his arms wrap around her slim waist.

"...sorry..." she barely made out that much as she was more concerned with his trembling while he clutched onto the back of her shirt for dear life. "I'm sorry, Jade."

At first, Jade simply rolled her eyes but, once she placed a hand onto his back, she felt his body shudder violently as if her touch were vicious flames searing his skin. Then she heard it; the sniffs and the low sob symbolizing the destruction of Liam's emotionless fortress and the reemergence of the man she grew to love. Gently, she knelt down to meet him at eye level. Even still, he refused to look up at her, clearly feeling ashamed for allowing his ego and frail masculinity to get the better of him.

This didn't defer Jade West though as she leans in, placing her lips gently to his forehead.

Instantly, he ceased his shaking. Instead, he began to take deep breaths while feeling the comfort of his gothic girlfriend as she continued to comfort him.

"You're not doing this alone and you will never have to so long as I'm around."

"But, what about Tori and the others? I don't want you to get hurt Jade..." he finally eked out. "You deserve some form of normalcy. If anything ever happened to you..."

"Since when has that ever changed my mind about being around you?" she finally pulled away, sizing up the heap that was her downcast boyfriend. "Sure, we had the incident in Yerba, but who was it that saved you from that succubus spirit?"

For once, he finally felt the strength to look up only to be greeted by the cocky smirk that he knew all too well.

"Y-you..." he grumbled, barely suppressing the blush that stung at his cheeks.

"Excuse me?" she cupped her ears playfully. "Care to repeat that, tiger?"

"Who is Jade West?" he rolled his eyes, though, not without adding a comical eye roll to the mix.

"Correct."

"Have you two lovebirds finished your bickering?" The couple then turned to the gruff young man staring at them both with arms crossed. "If so, then it's time to get started and we have plenty to discuss before you begin this mission."

"Sorry/Whatever..." They replied respectively.

"Anyway, there's some good news and bad news. Which do you lot want to hear first?"

Sparing a glance at the other, they both answered: "Surprise us."

"Well, it seems that while that tome is able to create some form of a fabricated world, there is a huge limit to its ability to do so."

"Meaning?" Jade raised an eyebrow, already annoyed at the riddle-like direction of this conversation.

"Based on what we've gathered on the user, they are only skilled enough to tap into an alternate reality, similar to multiverse theory **(If you don't know what it is, look it up)**. On top of that, that black mark is some of a tracker for this Thoran character to keep tabs on you. When you were bitten by that demon creature, it allowed him to inject you with a spiritual signature that can only be activated whenever you're in this world."

All Liam could do was let out a sigh of exasperation, prompting Lucille to step in.

"The good news is that mama's found a way to alter that mark so that it's much more difficult for you to be tracked. On top of that, we've found a way for you both to go into this alternate reality but, it comes at a price." Soon her own chipper demeanor began to falter. "You see, if you two enter, you'll have to abide by the rules of that world's timeline which means your memories will be temporarily altered unless you're able to break the spell over your minds."

"Sounds fun..." Liam closed his eyes, deeply processing everything being told to him. "Is there any way to counteract it somehow?"

"There is one, Alexandre. While you two must follow the timeline, I've enchanted these charms so that you both can recognize each other, though, you won't know why until you've become close enough to break the hex governing that land." Celeste then slipped a bracelet around Liam's wrist and turned her attention to doing the same with a necklace around Jade. "These will also hide your true identities from any others who may be helping this person. You'll need every element of surprise you can get if you want to gain the upper hand."

"Thank you mama!" he hugged the elder woman lovingly.

"My pleasure, son. I pray that you both return safely with the others."

* * *

 **New Orleans, Louisiana**

"Attention all passengers, we will be departing for California shortly so we ask that you take this time to fasten your seatbelts and turn off all cellular devices until we have reached our intended altitude. Thank you for choosing New Orleans Lakefront Airport and enjoy your flight."

A young African-American male blinked several times, as if awakening from a dream before settling into his seat, sighing as he combed a hand through his brown dreadlocked hair. He wasn't ready for this flight to L.A. but found it necessary due to the courts and considering his circumstances, he had no choice in the matter. He refused to cry; to show any weakness but found it impossible to stop every tear that threatened to spill although he held them back pretty well for someone who was suffering. One lone tear managed to escape as the plane finally departed from the ground and finally reality set in as he allowed the others to fall. His mother was gone...

Murdered to be exact...

Nearly three weeks ago, he watched as his mother was buried six feet underground. It was a closed casket. The funeral was short considering, he was the only one there. The pain he felt only grew deeper as the grave keeper piled up the dirt upon her body. The unwavering sense of guilt for not being able to do anything to help save her was overwhelming.

Finally, after a full week of grieving, he was contacted by the local police and told that he was being transported to California to live with his dad and older brother. While the thought of seeing his older brother brought a sense of happiness that had not been felt in a while, he grimaced at the idea of living under the rule of his dictator-like father. While he knew nothing but love from Jacob, his brother, his 'father', Jericho was another story. Though the man would never admit it, he despised him.

This hatred that stemmed from a similar, if not greater, resentment towards his mother, Celeste.

Why Jericho despised her was a mystery to everyone but himself. However, it was obvious that the boy on the plane wasn't in any hurry to see that man. Fiddling with his bracelet, the last memento of his departed mother combined with all the thoughts racing through his head, the boy finally allowed his heavy eyes to close once more as the sounds of the plane's engine lulled him to sleep. However, just before entering unconsciousness, he felt a warm sensation wrapping around his body, almost giving him assurance that everything would be okay. It was a feeling that he only received from his now-deceased mother, but he still felt it and for the first time in nearly a month, he smiled.

That smile would carry him throughout the flight until he arrived at his new home, hoping for a brighter future to outshine the horrible past.

"Attention passengers, we have now arrived at our destination. Please return your seats to the upright position and thank you for flying Air Canada."

The boy woke up with a yawn that signified a great nights rest.

"Please make sure to gather all your belongings before departing the aircraft as well." Stretching, he quickly gathered his things and headed through the terminal.

Once he entered the airport, he looked around for nobody in particular. Taking special care to his surroundings, he was rather impressed, and a bit anxious, upon seeing the massive crowds of people all around him.

"So this is Los Angeles?" a small grin etched itself across his face.

"Sure is little bro!" The voice startled the boy who let out a small yelp of fear. Turning around, he would find himself eyeing an African-American male wearing a smirk.

"Liam!"

"Jacob!"

The two brothers embraced having not seen each other in nearly 10 years. Liam, the younger of the two had just turned 17 while his brother, Jacob had officially been 18 a little over 3 months. "Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes!"

The two laughed as they headed towards baggage claim. "How have you been?" Liam asked with a wide grin.

"Well, I'm due to graduate this year and I've already been accepted into UCLA for the upcoming fall." Jacob smiled at the thought of finally leaving high school. "So... how have you been since...?"

The air was filled with a slight amount of tension as Liam paused briefly. "W-well, I'm a junior in high school and I guess I'll be joining one of the local schools out here just to get by."

Turning around, he watched as Jacob shook his head with a sly grin on his face. "Oh no you won't." he retorted. "You're coming with me to Hollywood Arts! In fact, I believe auditions start today."

Before any objection could be given, he was being pulled out of the airport towards the parking lot where a blue Dodge Charger awaited them. The two hopped in and soon they were off towards the school. It took them about a half hour in which Liam took the opportunity to enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the city.

"Welcome to California, little bro." his brother mused. "It's a toilet, but it's home." he chuckled at his brothers' joke.

"So... This school...?" Liam started with a touch of uncertainty in his voice. "What did you mean 'auditions start today'?"

Jacob glanced over for a moment catching the subtle skepticism pouring from his kid brother's expression. "I meant what I said. Hollywood Arts is a performing arts school and in order to get in, you have to audition."

Liam could let out an uneasy sigh that didn't go unnoticed by his older brother. "I-I'm not sure if that's such a good idea..."

"Hey..." Jacob spoke up as they pulled into the parking lot. "Trust me, you're going to be alright."

* * *

 **-Hollywood Arts-**

Principal Helen was in a foul disposition, to say the least. It was nearly three o clock and she hadn't found anybody worth accepting into the new recruits program. Even now as she viewed the latest in what had been a long line of talent rejects, she was busy wondering how much longer would it be before attempted to bash her skull in with her own clipboard.

"I'll catch a grenade for yoohoo!" the young girl screeched as she finally finished her rendition of Grenade by Bruno Mars.

There were a few questionable claps from Helen, Lane, and even Sikowitz but, anybody with half a brain could tell that this was merely out of pity. "Thank you, uh..."

"Katie." the girl finished for her.

"Right, Katie... We'll call you if you are accepted."

The girl looked a bit dejected but in an instant, she was back to her perky mood and skipped off through the doors of the Blackbox theatre paying no mind to the sigh of relief from the faculty members. "That... was... AWFUL!" Sikowitz blurted before taking another sip from what was his 20th coconut of the day; he'd hoped that drinking enough would give him visions again while enduring this torturous occasion.

"Now, we have to give these kids a chance." Lane protested. "Even if they are... terrible..."

"Listen, I agree with... coconut man over here and I for one am not sticking around to see another untalented loser tonight." Helen declared as they all prepared to leave. "Shapiro, you shut down we're getting ready to-"

Suddenly, the door behind them opened revealing the brothers. "Oh! Jacob!" Helen giggled while straightening her hair. "What brings you here baby?"

"Hi, Mrs. Helen, Sikowitz, Lane. I was wondering if the auditions were still open for the day?"

Helen's smile softened into a sad shadow of what was a slight frown. "Sorry sugar, but we were just about to-"

"Please? My brother, Liam, he just came here from Canada just to audition for your school. Please? For me?" Jacob put on his best puppy dog pout.

Helen, normally known for sticking to her guns, just couldn't resist. "Oh, why not? One more tryout couldn't hurt. Come on, um... Liam was it?" he nodded.

"Yes, ma'am." he nodded immediately, not wanting to arouse her wrath

He then walked onto the miniature stage, taking a seat behind the piano and cracked his knuckles. Soon, he began to play a melody foreign to the council in the room.

 **[Thequestions- Musiq Soulchild]**

 **[Verse 1]**

 **When I think about all the girls I'm with all the time.**

 **Yes, I like to please their bodies, but I feel like it's a waste of time,**

 **Can you tell me what is wrong?**

 **I'm supposed to love the fact that I never gave a girl my heart,**

 **and If I told her I did, I lied, but instead I tore hers apart**

 **Can you tell me, 'How long?'**

Unbeknownst to him, Helen and the others were merely captivated by his voice and feeling behind each word. It was if he was literally telling his life story. Jacob could only nod in approval as he watched his brother sing his heart out.

 **[Hook]**

 **Cause, right now I just wanna be staring into your eyes**

 **Right now, I'm so lost but when I find you I'll be found**

 **and I won't have to ask all these questions like can someone tell me where you are...**

He continued to play the piano; filling in the gap between verses, unaware of the others that occupied the theater. Taking a deep breath, he continued on without hesitation.

 **[Verse 2]**

 **What'll happen if I settle and just go along with what I have?**

 **Cause there's a difference between good and great, but good wasn't built to last**

 **Can you tell me, is this all for me?**

 **[Hook]**

 **Cause, right now I just wanna be staring into your eyes**

 **Right now, I'm so lost but when I find you I'll be found**

 **and I won't have to ask all these questions like can someone tell me where you are...**

 **[Bridge:]**

 **What would it take to be**

 **In a love I know that's right for me**

 **And I know that you don't even know me yet**

 **But I believe that one day I'll be where you are**

Finally, he finished his audition, his spirits now appearing to be lifted and free after completing his rendition. He stood up as an applause ripped throughout the theatre.

"Bravo!" Lane yelled out, surprisingly enthused after the performance he'd just witnessed.

Helen was busy wiping a tear from her eyes while Sikowitz continued clapping with equal energy.

Liam's face, despite being of chocolate complexion, had now flashed a bright red from embarrassment but he smiled at the reception he received. "I take it that I'll be earning a callback?"

"Oh no, sweetie. You're in! You are exactly what Hollywood Arts is looking for!" she gleefully announced then without warning captured him a bear hug that nearly took the breath right out of him.

It took a moment, but the others managed to pry her seemingly iron grip from the boy who was caught in a mixture of happiness and breathlessness. "Just report for your official registration papers a week before school starts and you'll be set up with a scholarship. Congratulations!"

'Finally... things are looking up for me."

* * *

 **-Henderson Residence-**

After the audition, Liam was taken straight home but not before being shown a secret apartment that Jacob claimed he's used whenever things didn't work between their dad, Jericho. Once they arrived, it was a little before five o'clock, the now descending sun showing off its brilliance still over the busy city. Walking through the front door the two were greeted with an unfortunate sight.

"Speak of the devil," Jacob muttered under his breath.

The aforementioned devil was none other than their father.

Upon hearing his eldest, James turned around to see his sons. He was outfitted in a grey suit and pants with a dark royal blue button-up shirt. His tie was a striped alternating with the same colors. His brown hair was wavy and slicked back with what was obviously too much grease giving him a 1970's mobster look, somehow managing to work well with his medium brown skin. "Well, the prodigal son returns..." he joked before returning his attention to removing his tie. "Seems you two made it from the airport alright. What took you so long?"

Although it was obviously a general question, Liam felt it being directed towards him specifically, flinching ever so slightly under the subtly harsh tone of the man before him. His theory was confirmed when he looked up to see his eyes locked with Jericho's almost demonic eyes, shades of violet glaring back at his spawn. Jacob, taking notice of this, stood in between the two. "We went to Hollywood Arts and got him accepted into the school."

Without warning, James raised his hand to strike Jacob only to be grabbed by his forearm. Turning around, he caught sight of a young dark-skinned woman who was wearing only a pink bra and matching thong. "Save some of that energy for me tonight, tiger." she cooed in his ear causing him to calm down instantly.

While Liam was shocked to see the provocatively dressed woman prance around like nothing was wrong, there was no question that he knew the identity of this woman. In his eyes, she looked very similar to his mother Celeste and yet there was an arrogance that ended the similarities in its tracks.

For Jacob, he could only sigh out of frustration despite being used to seeing the women dance around the house practically naked. To be honest, he was surprised that she was wearing anything at the moment. James turned his attention back to his sons. "Do you know how much money that's gonna cost me? I'm already paying for you to go to that damned school and now-"

"Liam was given a scholarship, Dad." the older sibling huffed, rolling his eyes at their father's cheapness. "We actually just got back from his audition where the principal granted him a spot immediately."

This forced a grin unto the man's face. "Really now? You don't say?"

Liam nervously nodded in response.

"Well, I don't see the trouble in having two 'sons' going to the same school then..." with that said, the two brothers watched as the dark-haired vixen escorted their 'father' up the stairs to retire to his room. "Oh, Jacob." The older of the two looked up at the man. "Tonight, we go hunting again. Bring everything you can and get... Liam settled in and we'll head out sometime after midnight..." with that said, the couple proceeded to the bedroom but not before James threw one more sinister glower directed at the younger boy.

"Don't let dad get to you..." Jacob's voice snapped him out of his despair and back to reality. "He can be an ass, but that comes with the territory, I guess..." exchanging a few chuckles to lighten the mood, he guided his bewildered brother upstairs to the only unused room in the house.

As the door opened, Liam stood there amazed at what he was seeing. Inside were computers, a large closet, made bed, clothes already bought for him, even posters and electronic items were his to own. While he marveled at his new room and belongings, Jacob simply watched in amusement.

"I figured, you'd like these things."

"Like? I love them?" he graciously replied. "All of these are mine?"

"Yep."

"The computer?"

"Yep."

"The clothes?"

"Yep."

"The-"

"Cell phone, Mp3 player, the bed, posters, game system, television... It's all yours." Jacob chuckled.

Then, before he knew it, Jacob was engulfed in the tightest hug he'd ever felt from anyone. Among that, he felt the wet tears stain his white t-shirt but he didn't care... all that mattered to him was that his brother or in reality half-brother was happy. That's right, Jacob knew the truth... he and Liam were only related through their father according to James.

In truth, Liam was the child of Celeste while Jacob was actually the offspring of that man and an unknown woman whom Jacob never got to meet. However, despite this revelation, he never considered James' blood to be the bridge that connected them as a family.

No, it was never anything so simple as blood or DNA. It was the bond that was shared many years ago before Celeste left their dad. That day broke Jacob's heart but all that mattered was that he was given a second chance to be the big brother he wanted to be all those years back. As the two continued to embrace, a familiar buzz rang in their ears.

Reluctantly, Jacob was the one to part with his brother and pulled out his phone to see who felt so important enough to interrupt the two's bonding. Scanning his messages he saw the familiar name that answered his question.

 **Fr: Goth Chick**

 ** _Where r u? :(_**

Sighing, he began to text back as his brother resumed his marveling.

 **Fr: Jacob**

 ** _At home..._**

It didn't take long before he heard his phone buzz again.

 **Fr: Goth Chick**

 ** _Get your ass over here. I need a lay NOW_**

Rolling his eyes, he replied.

 **Fr: Jacob**

 ** _Calm down... I'm on my way. Where to meet?_**

 **Fr: Goth Chick**

 ** _Party at Beck's RV_**

Jacob smirked and saw his brother finished trying on a thin blue and white tribal marked hoodie and matching Nike gym shoes.

"Hey, little bro? Wanna go to a party?"

* * *

They reached the location just as the sun was being concealed behind the horizon. The blueish green skies blanketed the party in a glow of twilight that made it even more enchanting. The brothers stepped out of the car, the younger a bit nervous about being around a large group of strangers. Jacob began to mingle with the crowds of future and current students of Hollywood Arts with relative ease, knowing that he had a target in mind.

It took a while for Liam to get the courage to talk to anyone on his own but after 15 minutes and seeing that his brother was no longer in sight, he knew it was time to nut up or shut up. Standing at the punch table, he scanned his surroundings and looked to find someone to interact with only to have someone grab his shoulder.

"Hi, I've never seen you before." Turning around slightly startled, he now found himself face to face with a thin brunette girl. She had lovely brown eyes that screamed out ferocity yet at the same time gentleness. Her lips were curled into a sweet smile that seemed to radiate the entire party.

"Oh, right... my names Liam." He nervously held out his shaking hand in which the girl accepted.

"Victoria... But, everyone calls me Tori." she giggled. "It's nice to meet you, Liam. Are you here alone?"

Snapping out of his trance, he tried to regain his composure.

"Oh, um... not exactly. I'm new in town and my brother brought me here."

Before he could say any more, he was interrupted by an African-American boy around his age with dreadlocks running up to them. "Tori! Come on girl we're about to perform!" he attempted at pulling her away in his frantic state, but the girl Travis now knew as Tori was adamant about staying put for the time being.

"Andre, at least let me give my new friend, Liam here my number." she pouted. Despite this, she swiftly pulled out her phone and within seconds, the two exchanged numbers while Andre, who'd finally calm down, mimicked the gesture.

"I'm sorry, man. I'm just a little on edge when it comes to performing and the crowd being restless." he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

Liam simply smiled at the second friend he'd made in a matter of minutes. "It's alright, Andre. I understand. Go do your thing I'll probably be here when you two get back.

The two nodded but not before Tori exchanged a quick kiss on the cheek and whispered in his ear. "I look forward to it..." and with a wink, she soon became lost in the crowd.

Not believing his luck, Liam threw a fist up in triumph only to bump into someone who happened to be the unfortunate soul behind him. Quick to apologize, he turned around and saw the victim of his victory dance who looked strangely similar to the girl he had just met earlier. "Oh my Gosh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Just watch it you-"

The brunette couldn't finish her scolding as she found herself at a loss for words, just like the boy standing a foot away from her. As he helped her up, they never took their eyes off one another, easily captivated by other's presence. For Liam, he knew that this young woman was a complete stranger and yet, there was something familiar about her that froze him in his tracks. For the girl, she became lost in those green orbs, taking in the perfect contrast to his terra hue before finally shaking off the effects of their attraction.

"Hi..." she grinned sheepishly.

"Hi..." He averted his gaze, trying valiantly to force the faded color from his cheeks.

They soon found themselves staring at one another again for what felt like ages. He would swear up and down that she looked exactly like Tori only slightly shorter and curvier than her though. Her brown hair held a sense of familiarity but the highlighted tips were enough for him to abandon that thought.

"My name's Liam. I'm really sorry I knocked you down."

"Trina," she responded with a giggle. "And it's alright. Accidents happen."

Before the two could converse any further. Another voice rang in their ears. "Liam, we're out!"

"Aww... crap, that's my big brother... I gotta go." he turned to leave only to be stopped.

"Can I have your number, at least?" she playfully pouted her lips earning a nervous chuckle; surprised when he turned to do just that. In her mind, she expected him to just get annoyed like everyone else and make a mad dash to get away. Yet, here he was, stepping back to her with a shy grin.

"S-sure. I'd like that," He quickly whipped out his phone and the two exchanged digits before he rushed back through the crowd.

Trina watched as he hopped in the car and sped off with the driver as Tori approached her.

"Trina, did you see a really cute guy earlier?"

* * *

That night back at home, Liam had finally settled in his comfortable bed and was about to fall asleep when his phone buzzed twice. Two different messages from two equally beautiful girls.

 **Fr: Tori**

 ** _Hey, I heard you left early :( Hope to hear from you soon... 3_**

he checked the next message

 **Fr: Trina**

 ** _Hi cutie... sorry you had to leave so early but maybe we can hang out soon? ttyl_**

A smile crept along his face as he first responded to the most recent text before addressing the first one. It seemed that things would be alright at his new home, that is until a thunderous bang pulled him from his inner world.

"Let's go!" the callous tone of Jericho's tone pierced the boy's ears. "It's time to begin your training."

Doing his best to ignore the outcry for his brother, Liam pulled the covers over his body, finally believing: "This may be a good thing after all."

* * *

 **Real World**

"So, you're saying that they're in the alternate universe?" the mysterious young woman looked up at her partner. "Have you been able to locate either of them?"

'Mad dog' simply shook his head in irritation.

"That's the issue I'm having at the moment. Unlike the first time, I can't pinpoint where in the world they are; only a rough estimation would do us any good at this point."

"What do you propose we do then? Should we call off the plan?"

For the first time, he stared at the woman, Hazel eyes burning with a ferocity that made even the bokor flinch. In light of her reaction, he then broke out into a soft chuckle, amused at the power he already possessed through physical intimidation.

"No. The plan continues as scheduled." his grin soon stretched eerily into a crazed smile just as a cab pulled up. "We go to New Orleans, begin work on the ritual. In the meantime, we'll keep tabs on what they're up to and by the time they return, I'll have his soul..."

The pair entered the vehicle, giving their driver directions to their destination while Thoran's descendant began to think to himself.

'And finally, I'll be able to silence the voices in my head for good.'

* * *

Since his encounter with Tori and Trina, Liam had kept constant contact with the two via emails, text messages, and even a few phone calls from time to time. However, it had been three weeks since meeting the girls in person. In spite of that, he decided to spend more time with his brother Jacob. The only problem was Jacob wasn't home. In fact, nobody was at home he found out as he trekked down the staircase from his bedroom. He headed into the kitchen and opened the door to the refrigerator hoping to find some food. Unfortunately, all he found was a note saying that his brother was out getting groceries. As he shut the door with a grumble, he failed to catch sight of the blond bimbo standing behind said door.

"Hi there."

Startled, he tripped over his own feet and fell down on his butt. "OW! What are you doing there?"

"I live here, silly." she rolled her eyes playfully.

Brushing himself off, he barely managed to hide the red tint from appearing on his face as he stood on his feet.

"I mean why are you naked?" he asked trying to turn his attention to anything other than the woman's nude figure.

"I don't see how that should be an issue considering I'm staying in a house with three guys..." She had a look of interest spark in her eyes causing Liam to audibly gulp. She then began closing the distance, mere inches from Liam who had been backed up against the kitchen counter. "Unless of course, you're gay or something?" she seductively purred, giving him a full view of her large breasts.

"N-No, I'm n-not..." it was no use. The tint was now a full-blown mask of red as his heart began racing, and his breathing became shallow.

"I promise I won't bite," she whispered.

"Cecilia, get away from my brother!"

The older woman turned around to find a stern looking Jacob holding two bags of groceries with a demonic glare that could scare paint off of a wall. Never before had Liam been happier to see his brother than at that moment; taking the opportunity to slip by the woman and stand next to his savior of sorts.

"Poo... I was just having some fun with him, Jakey..." she bit her bottom lip and gazed at the oldest of the two brothers with lust filled eyes. "Are you jealous, perhaps?'

Jacob scoffed at the notion and shook his head. "Put some damn clothes on for goodness sake. This is a house, not the Playboy Mansion."

"It might as well be. Considering I have my own Hugh Heffner to keep me company." she winked at a still recovering Liam who inwardly grimaced at the thought of having any sexual encounters with this woman. It wasn't like she wasn't attractive. She was five foot, 7 inches with a pretty athletic build to her. She had curves in all the right places and hips for days that would be highlighted whenever she wore her trademark heels. It was her attitude and lifestyle that made her unappealing to the brothers.

"Listen up, and listen well..." his face darkened. "Stay the hell away from my brother, or you're gonna have me to deal with."

Without another word, Jacob left out of the kitchen with Liam following close behind, though he didn't miss the wink that Cecilia gave him just before he turned the corner. "And put the damn groceries up!"

* * *

The Vega Household was abuzz as usual as the gang was preparing for another day of hanging out with one another. Unlike in previous years, a lot had changed for many of them. Robbie Shapiro had one of the most dramatic of changes when he showed up one day without Rex, the puppet as he now referred to his 'former friend' as. He sold the puppet to some kid at a garage sale and made nearly two hundred dollars from it. He then used the money to improve his image. He signed up for a gym membership earlier in the summer and within a few weeks, he was showing improvement physically. To add on to that, he later cut his curly hair to a more decent hairstyle that while keeping his initial look, made him much more attractive to the ladies and although he still wore glasses, he no longer was the wimpy looking kid who resembled Andy Sandberg. Now he was a new man and he loved every moment of it.

Jade still was the same goth girl overall, but even the slightest her change was somewhat for the bad. After breaking up with Beck for the third (and final) time, she opted for a more free lifestyle which included various one night stands that always seemed to result in more and more victims of her "charm". Only those who were truly strong in willpower were chosen to have repeat acts from Ms. West, the only one being Jacob who was scheduled to meet her at the mall in an hour.

Her blue eyes looked around the house bored as everyone was explaining what their plans were at the mall. Jade didn't care. All she thought about was whether she wanted her boy toy to take her to the Victoria Secret changing room or inside one of the temporarily closed stores that were to be remodeled soon.

Beck was conversing with the others but experienced his own change. After the (messy) break-up with Jade, he too decided to use his free time for positive means. He, along with Robbie and Andre, joined a gym and focused on improving his physical attributes as well as his mental. True, he loved Jade with the purest of heart, but it wasn't enough to get her to stay and soon after he stopped shaving allowing a decent stubble to grow on his face that made him appear to be older and mature than before. He also started wearing his hair in a ponytail more often and soon enough more girls were swarming him every day. He took his free time to help with local charities and pretty much anyone in need. It was just something he loved to do.

Cat, like Robbie, had grown a lot too. She still had her signature red hair but her change was more inward than out. She still retained some of her hyper giddiness but it was more in a controlled way. She didn't bounce around and tell random stories as much as she used to but she still had that innocence that made her Cat.

It was a breath of fresh air to everyone.

Trina and Tori had the least amount of change considering they were the most open in the group. Tori had been on random dates but no guy had her mind like the one she met at the party. Travis. He was all she could think about for the past couple of weeks. Trina was no different. She would text Travis every chance she could and be delighted to find that he would text her back within a few minutes unless he was already preoccupied in which he'd let her know quickly. She felt acceptance and that showed in her actions. Her snobby behavior began to disappear, her reactions to Jade's "Nobody likes you!" statements were no longer in the goth's interests, and she actually began to see and accept her own flaws in life.

Finally, Andre had finally calmed down when it came down to life and girls. No longer was her a nervous wreck when a date canceled or if he was trying to ask a girl out. Now he was smooth and confident and that came from his trips to the gym and even getting a weekend job. It was work but he knew that he was on track to getting his life together.

"So, are we ready now?" Jade complained from the living room couch.

Everyone turned around.

"Jade, we're about to go. Just make sure you don't give our cover away again." Tori groaned/scolded.

"Listen, it is not my fault that Eric had a fetish for being bitten on the neck." she mused as a smirk grew on her lips. "I just took advantage of it and drank his blood. Consider it a gift to me."

Tori's frown deepened but shook her head and went back to what she was doing. They all knew the trouble they would get into if their secrets were exposed. Jade was usually the one who would put them in danger of being found out whenever she would let her true side come out during one of her many encounters. The gang grabbed their belongings and began to head out. Trina, being the last one out, proceeded to shut the door when her pear phone rang. Pulling it out, she saw she had a new message from Travis.

 **From: Travis**

 ** _Hey beautiful_**

Trina smiled brightly at the short message, wasting little time in responding before shutting the front door.

* * *

 **-L.A. Heights Mall-**

After leaving the house both Liam and Jacob had spent most of the day cruising through the city running errands. But now it was time to make a couple of fun stops; Their destination being the mall. They arrived around three thirty-six and, once inside, they headed to the food court. While surprisingly, Liam was perfectly content with finally settling in one spot since leaving the house. However, Jacob appeared to be looking out for somebody and the youngest of the brothers could clearly see that, much to his annoyance.

"So, who's the girl you're looking for?" he asked while scarfing down a couple of cheese fries.

"Huh? Oh, um... No one. Just enjoying the crop of ladies here today." he nervously chuckled while scratching the back of his freshly cut hair. "What would give you that idea?"

Giving his brother a 'Do I look like an idiot?' face, Liam simply shrugged then looked around himself. "I don't know. Maybe it's that cute goth girl who keeps looking at us like she knows you or something." he nonchalantly noted while pointing behind himself with his thumb.

This news caused Jacob's eyes to widen and in a flash, he darted for the nearest store he could find as the girl slowly approached the table where he was sitting at. Seeing the idiotic actions of his older (as supposedly wiser) sibling, he shook his head in amusement then returned his attention to his food.

"Where's Jacob?"

Looking up from his food, Liam saw that the girl was now sitting across from him. Her pale skin was the perfect contrast to her icy blue orbs but he looked back down and stuffed another fry in his mouth.

"Hello? Earth to dork! Where did Jacob go?!" she snarled.

Again he ignored her; looking around at the crowds of people appearing not to care about the steadily fuming girl in front of him.

"Hey, asshole! I asked you-"

"Who wants to know?"

This caught the girl off guard. There wasn't a hint of fear in his voice nor in the glare he gave her. This, though, did not deter her from her goal.

"I do. Now tell me or else-"

"Or else what?" again she was momentarily at a loss for words. Nobody, male or female had ever thought to speak to her like that except her friends. Whether she wanted to or not, she had to admit, she was intrigued. If not for the blatant audacity of this guy, there was also something itching in the girl's brain that made her want to inquire further about him. But, for now, she was on a mission.

"Listen, maybe we got off on the wrong foot."

"You think?" he chuckled before taking a sip of his drink.

"Anyways, I'm an acquaintance of your friend, Jacob and he was supposed to meet me here."

Liam felt that he played the charade long enough and decided to tell her. "He ran off into that sports store "Champion" I believe. He told me that you don't like to-"

Suddenly his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Liam it's me." the hushed voice replied.

"Jake? Where are you?"

"Sorry bro I'm heading to the parking lot now. Meet me at the beach at sunset and I'll pick you up there."

Sighing, Liam simply tossed down one of the few remaining fries back with the others, prompting Jade to notice that he was used to being ditched. "Fine, I'll meet you at the beach at sundown," he responded while looking intently at the goth with a smirk.

"Okay see ya, bro..."

"Later."

He ended the call and then flashed the girl a 'You're welcome' look.

"Wow. Clever," she admitted while crossing her arms under her ample bosom.

"Eh. Sometimes, that guy needs to take responsibility." he flashed a devious grin.

Seeing that the girl was getting up, Liam mirrored her action. The two talked as they headed to the trash can.

"Well, guess I'll walk around and get to know this place better before heading to the beach."

"That sounds like a good idea. But, maybe I could show you around?" she playfully nudged him.

"Thanks, but I don't want to end up in the same boat as Jake." he playfully declined. "You seem like you can hold onto a grudge for a long time."

While he half expected her to take some sort of offense to his statement, he'd instead catch her smirking inquisitively. "You're a smart guy." she passed by him making sure to brush her arm against his. "Name's Jade... Look me up if you're ever looking for trouble." She winked before disappearing into the crowd.

As she departed, Liam just stood there, wondering about the girl now known as Jade before walking the other way, trying his best to shake off the effects of meeting the girl. Unknown to him, she too was trying to shake something off from her encounter with him. While this was obviously their first time meeting one another, she couldn't help but feel as if they'd met before. In effect, she had a growing feeling inside of her that she'd never felt before since she was a little girl. Sure she had been around guys her age with sweet-smelling (and possibly tasting) blood, but this was something completely different.

She felt like she was about to pop from this feeling and that was reason enough for her to want to get rid of it. But at the same time, there was a part of her that didn't want to get rid of this sensation. Not knowing what to do at first, she stayed in the same place for another minute or so to ponder everything that just occurred. Before taking off, Jade then felt an overwhelming urge of lust and hunger well up inside of her, the dark portion of her core clearly displeased with what was mixing inside its emotional cauldron.

"Jacob is going to pay!"

* * *

 **-Cabrillo Beach-**

It was after eight, and Liam was sitting atop a sand dune gazing at the water and the few twinkling stars reflecting off of its surface. Combine that with the blueish pink tint in the sky, and he couldn't ask for a better evening. He looked around and saw the multitude of couples sitting with one another doing the same thing which brought a pang of sadness into his heart. For the first time in three weeks, thoughts of his mother flooded his mind as a couple of stray tears managed to fall down his cheek. Thankfully, he forgot to bind his hair so it hid them but he knew they were there. There was no sobbing, no wails of pain, just the silent tears that streamed down his face.

"Are you okay?"

He didn't bother to look up. His only form of motion was a sigh before finally answering. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"No you're not silly." the girl giggled.

Finally, Liam decided to look up and saw a cute girl with red hair smiling brightly at him. "Gee, how'd you notice?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped back.

Seeing the girl clearly distraught, Travis quickly tried to make things right. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"KK." she giggled again. "Mind if I sit next to you?"

Taking a second to consider it, he nodded with a weak smile.

"Sure, I could use some company."

"Yay..." she plopped next to him and hugged him. "So, why were you crying just a few minutes ago?" Liam didn't want to admit the reason for crying or even admit that he was crying in the first place, let alone to a complete stranger, but he knew that it wouldn't do him any good to lie about it. "My name is Cat Valentine by the way."

He smiled at the girl known as Cat and with another sharp breath, he began to pour out his heart. "It's about my mother-"

* * *

Jacob had pulled into the beach's parking lot looking around for his younger brother but all he found were couples making out and swimming in the moonlit lake. "Dammit... Guess I shouldn't have left him at the mall," he muttered; pulling into a vacant parking spot. He figured Travis was at the concession stands or near the bathrooms. Seeing nobody around he chose to ignore the chill running down his spine. "Next time, I won't ditch the kid just because of a chick."

"Run that by me again?"

Jacob tensed up and turned around instantly, seeing none other than a none too pleased goth shrouded in the shadows. Her eye flickered with rage though her face remained unreadable to the young man.

"Jade... I-"

"Save it." she snarled, venom oozing from her lips.

It was at this moment, that Jacob felt the urge to run but he ignored it and stood his ground as she walked closer to him.

"I'll make it up to you." he haggled.

"You're damn right about that..." she smirked then lunged at him with malicious intent.

In a split second, Jacob narrowly dodged the attack and pulled out a gun from his inside back pocket. "Don't move, bitch..."

Jade simply snickered at his threat, much to his confusion. Here she was kneeling mere feet from him with a gun pointed at the side of her head and she was laughing.

"What kind of monster are you?" he whispered.

She glanced at him out the corner of her eye as her laughter subsided. "You have no idea."

Lunging again, the sound of a shell clanking against the gravel was heard as now in front of Jacob was the prone body of Jade West stiff as a board.

"Damn..." he rubbed his head while looking around to see if anybody was around to see what he did. Finding nobody near his position, he let out a sigh of relief. Jacob then stepped closer to her lifeless body inspect the results of his actions. "At least you were a good lay."

"That's more than I can say for you!" she yelled as, within milliseconds, Jacob fell back on the ground with slash marks across his face.

Looking up, he saw two other girls standing in front of the now stooping form of Jade. One girl was taller than the other and her eyes were a blood red. "Back off, if you know what's good for you..."

Jacob smirked as the other girl had her hand out as a glowing red orb formed.

"I knew it..." he muttered with a sinister scowl. "It took some time, but I knew you three weren't human. It's safe to bet that red-haired friend of yours isn't either huh?"

Silence. They said nothing.

"Trina is a witch. Tori a werewolf, and Jade you must be-" The girl grew black wings and her teeth had now formed into fangs. "Yep. A damn vampire..."

The staredown persisted for several moments, the air around the air around them growing thicker with the brewing tension. Jacob's trigger finger was itching as a bead of sweat slowly fell from his brow. Eyes scanned the surrounding area; what a predicament he found himself in. No doubt about it, he was in a bad spot, to say the least, yet, he refused to back down from the trio in front of him.

Lightning flashed overhead, illuminating the back alley with an eerie glow. Although it seemed impossible, Jacob had to admit that the combination of that, followed by the thunderous drums of the sky somehow managed to make his targets that much creepier and despite his training, he wasn't sure if he could take out every one of the girls.

He wouldn't get an opportunity to analyze that hypothesis as a brown figure zoomed past him in a blur. Jacob, for the first time, felt true fear after witnessing just how fast a supernatural being could be. By the time he was about to turn around, he would find himself staring at nothing before feeling another slash on his back.

Remembering everything he'd learned from his father, Jacob pulled out another handgun, taking aim on both sides to cover himself.

"Seems he's not as dumb as he looks,"Jade taunted. "He must be dumber if he can't recall what just happened not two minutes ago. Normal bullets won't hurt us."

To her surprise, her former boy toy grinned maliciously before dropping both magazines from the weapon. Tossing the guns straight into the air, he dug into his pockets, revealing two silver magazines that he positioned just under the opening of his duel pride and joys. The audible sounds of clicking confirmed that everything was perfectly in place just as he turned the barrel on the girls.

"I have to admit, you sure know how to put on a show."

"Thanks, I like to give my targets some entertainment before I take them out," he sneered. "Aside from Trina, these bullets can affect both Vamps and Werewolves."

Now it was the three's turn to stare back in shock.

"You're bluffing," Jade spat, her fangs now fully erect.

"Come and find out."

In that instant, Tori took that opportunity to rush Jacob again, this time changing into her half-wolf form. With increased speed, she left faint images of herself as a form of a distraction though it did little to throw the young monster hunter off. He remained perfectly still as she came and went from any direction possible, focusing his attention on his mark.

Thinking him to have given up, Tori rushed at his back again only this time, she would completely miss her mark. She landed, eyes glowing with blood-lust, feeling something wet dripping down her hand.

'That smell! It had to be blood, right?'

True to her inquiry, she was correct as the crimson liquid flowed to the ground, but, when she looked at her prey, she saw him still standing, that cocky smirk never leaving his lips. Her darkened portals then noticed the true answer to her question: His gun.

From the barrel, a trail of white smoke was seen coming from his weapon which could only mean one thing:

The blood was her own.

At the moment of realization, the sharp pain flooded her entire right arm, throbbing just around the wound where the bullet grazed the back of her hand. Her canines clenched hard as she fought to suppress the howl that threatened to alert anyone in the city.

"Silver bullets..." Jacob's lips tugged upward, threatening to split his face in two. "...Mans best friend, and a werewolf's worst nightmare."

"Sis!" Trina called out frantically.

She immediately rushed over to her now suffering sibling, triggering her own instinct to heal a now human Tori. Seeing the soft white glow, Jacob knew what was happening, pointing his guns at them both.

"No way, am I letting you heal her!" he roared, grabbing both girl's attention. On instinct, Tori wanted to run but with her injured paw, she could only limp at best. To say this pleased her assailant would've been an understatement. "Too slow..."

"My thoughts exactly," the casual voice of Jade West rang in his ear, forcing him to have to turn around and face her. However, true to her words, he wasn't quick enough as he felt something pierce his neck; a pair of fangs to be exact. "You're mine!"

With the initial bite made, he could feel himself growing weaker by the second, his body burning from within thanks to the venom being injected into him. Dropping the guns out of sheer shock, he reached around with his right hand in an attempt at pulling her brown hair but, it did little to loosen her grip on his jugular. Soon, his legs would begin to give out driving him down to one knee as he stayed with his fruitless attempt.

His lips parted, a sign of the blood-curdling scream that was to come, except it remained trapped in his throat as he felt something began to seal his mouth shut. With scattered vision, he could barely make out the two figures of the other two teens. He didn't have to make them out though, it was clear to him who was doing what at this point.

'This can't be it!' he mentally shouted. 'I'm not going to die like this, am I?'

It would Tori who would acknowledge his mental question by viciously clamping her jaws around the flesh on his torso. Somehow regaining her half transformation, her wolf side began feeding on him, devouring muscle and organs alike until she had her fill. Trina, for her part, continued conjuring her spells in order to silence the doomed male.

The pain grew too much and Jacob would find himself going into succumbing to his inevitable demise. As his consciousness faded, he began to see his life flashing before his eyes, from his days of excruciating training to him investigating the different students of Hollywood Arts, he found himself wrapped in a cocoon of regret that began to swallow him.

Then a bright light, piercing through the darkness, began to show him the memories of his childhood. From his childhood where things were much simpler to the day his parents split, he clung to one memory in particular that brought a pure smile on his face. An image of him and his little brother, Liam surfaced where the two brothers were playing on the swing set in the park, the day before everything changed.

If there was ever a regret within his soul, it was missing out on the chance to truly be a big brother.

In his ear, he made out the remnants of their final conversation but, one thing stuck with him. "I'll always love you, big brother and one day, I'm going to be strong just like you!" Bringing him to tears, he forced himself to give one final thought, a wish that he wished he could say before he passed out from the immense agony.

'Please, just stay away from my little brother...'

Then, with a sorrow-filled smile, he made his way towards the warmth of the light, leaving this world behind; leaving his younger sibling to fulfill that childhood promise.

"Be strong, kid..."

Unknown to him, Trina had released the seal over his mouth while he made his way to the afterlife. Doing this when she did, this meant that Tori, Jade, and herself would hear his last will an testament, yet, it did little to change their drive.

Trina Vega would take the moments of silence as a chance to help her sister, who had just finished wiping the blood from her face. Jade simply stood over the mangled form of her now deceased lover, golden glowing orbs staring at the soft grin with hatred.

"I don't know what you're on about, but, I'll find your brother," her eyes burned with the bloody imagery before her. "and I turn him, just to torture his soul for eternity."

* * *

It didn't take long for Liam to notice something was afoot. He was taught at a young age that nothing happens coincidentally and that everything had a purpose for happening when it did. Sitting up, or attempting to do so, he felt the form of a familiar red-haired girl snuggled up to him in unconscious bliss. It was a sweet sight indeed that brought a smile on his face. Gently, he tapped her shoulder earning a giggle for his efforts.

"Cat. Wake up," he whispered in her ear.

Eventually, the petite girl let out a yawn, stretching out her limbs as she shook off the cobwebs and smiled at her former pillow.

"Cat, I think it's about to rain. We really should find someplace for shelter until my brother comes."

"Actually, I should go myself." Cat's smile disappeared. "My friends are probably worried about me right now." and with that being said, Cat bolted past Liam before he could respond.

"Wow, that's some girl..." he mused before hearing a sound that was all too recognizable.

Looking behind him, he saw an ambulance and several police cars pulling up next to the restrooms on the other side of the beach. Liam tried his best to see what was going on but all he could decipher were the sounds of the crowd beginning to form. He took a few steps and noticed a familiar blue Charger parked only a few feet from the ruckus.

"Jacob..." he whispered before accelerating his speed and rushing to where pretty much everyone on the beach had arrived at. "Please be okay..." he said as tears fought to break out. "Please."

His heart pounding, threatening to crack his ribcage.

His mind racing...

He didn't care that his own lungs were screaming at him to cease his running. All that mattered to him was that his brother was okay or even better, not involved. He mentally prayed that his brother would emerge behind him or come out of one of the stalls and make a witty remark about 'where's the fire?'. He finally arrived at his destination point and pushed past the crowd.

"Let me through!" he roared, not caring who or what he encountered as he continued to shove the people out of his way. Their protests fell on deaf ears.

When he finally emerged from the sea of humanity, he could only drop down to his knees.

"J-Jacob..." he whispered, his own words threatening to choke him.

Suddenly, he felt a hand rest on his shoulders. "Do you know him?"

Turning around, he met the gaze of a police officer, giving her a clear view of the turmoil swimming behind his eyes. "H-he's my big brother..." Tears slid down his cheek as he concluded stating his relation to the lifeless corpse.

"I'm sorry, son. It was too late before we arrived." she sighed and then left Liam to weep. The officer turned his focus now to disbanding the crowd along with a few of his subordinates.

Liam didn't know what to do. Here he was watching the still form that was revealed to be his older brother. He didn't tell from the face or any physical features honestly. It was a feeling of familiarity that struck him like a shockwave. There was no denying that the body was his kin.

"What happened?" he asked no one.

"I can explain that..." he turned to see a female officer who looked to be a little thrown off herself. "W-well kind of..."

Liam stood to his feet and watched as the woman lifted the white sheet from the body. "We found his body mauled from some sort of vicious animal. We can't determine what animal it was at this moment but whatever it was, it was nasty." The two grimaced at the sight of Jacob's gnarled and exposed ribs and ripped tendons. "Secondly, he sustained bite marks directly on his jugular vein that looked to be from a vampire bat." She resumed. "Only thing is we don't have vampire bats in this region. Despite them being closed, we found his eyes are literally melted out by some form of venom but, this is the freaky part," The woman directed Liam to the right side of the body revealing: "Hex markings... from some sort of cult ritual it seems was used on his body and his face. We're still trying to figure out what connection we can make from it though..."

Liam's pools of evergreen anguish hardened as he took in all of what had happened. He wasn't an idiot. He knew what this really was from his 'lessons' with Jericho. These injuries weren't from some beast or cult ritual. This was the work of supernatural beings...

"Hey!" He snapped out of his stupor and addressed the now worried woman. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yes..." he rubbed the back of his neck and let out a light sigh. "T-Thank you, officer.."

"Lucille." she smiled warmly, hoping to lift the dark weight that was so unmistakably visible to the grieving boy.

He weakly returned the gesture just as the crashing of thunder roared overhead. "Would you like a ride home?"

Nodding, he began to follow her to her car. Just as they were about to hop in, he remembered something that Jacob had told him when he first moved to L.A. "Excuse me but I think I left my house key back there, I think..." he lied pretending to pat his pockets in a faux attempt to locate them.

"It's not a problem. I'll be here waiting."

With that, he darted back to the scene of the crime and managed to find the body still untouched and, thankfully, unattended. Digging in the pockets, Liam found exactly what he was looking for. "The key to the apartment..." he muttered with a slight smirk tugging at his lips.

"Hey, kid!" a voice called out startling him. "What are you doing?"

The man approached the stunned boy with a suspicious look on his face. Liam knew that he had to come up with something fast if he was going to stay out of trouble. "I-I was just saying my goodbyes, officer. This is the second time I've lost a family member this year and it's just overwhelming for me to leave without saying goodbye."

Though it did sound fishy, the man's gaze softened and a sad smile formed. "It's okay, son. I'm sure you're brother is in a better place now."

It worked.

Liam nodded and left with a nod to the officer and returned to the squad car that was waiting for him.

"Gee, took you long enough." the woman teased. Liam looked over at her and for the first time since meeting her, he took in her features. She was a beautiful woman with Duel violet and green eyes and long brown hair. Her skin tone was a lovely dark chocolate complexion and her smile was truly dazzling. Add to that the fact that she had a Cajun accent, and he felt more and more at home around her. It was enough to cause him to blush and look away hoping she wouldn't notice. "I caught you catching a glimpse of me there." she teased causing his eyes to widen.

 _"Great! Now I'm gonna be known as the pervert with a dead brother..."_ he mentally slapped himself for his actions.

"I-I'm sorry I didn't mean to-"

She laughed softly while turning a corner into the main street. "It's okay, sweetie. I have guys much older than you drooling over me. Even had a few guys try and flirt with me..."

"Well, you are very attractive. I can't see why not..." he admitted with his face turning a deeper shade of red.

"Most of them were perverts, criminals, and the occasional co-worker who just wanted a good lay." her smile had begun to fade at this point. "It's a shame really..."

"Well, at least they have good taste." Liam chuckled.

Lucille's smile returned and soon she joined in the laughter. They continued to talk until she finally pulled into Henderson's driveway. He stepped out and bidding her a farewell, he soon entered the house leaving behind a puzzled Jericho. As she pulled the car out, she didn't ignore the man staring at her. In fact, she glared back at him which prompted a flinch from James. When she finally pulled off down the street, Jericho finally noticed the beads of cold sweat dripping down his forehead... He shut the door and immediately went to his room. His mind was baffled by the questions and his need for answers:

"Could she be one of them?"

* * *

 **-Hollywood Arts-**

Nearly two months later, summer vacation was finally over and school was officially open for the first semester. The crowds of students poured into the building eager to find old friends and meet new ones.

Cat Valentine walked down the halls of Hollywood Arts with a grin on her face. She thoroughly enjoyed her vacation and was anticipating finding her friends. Only a few feet away, Jade was walking out of the janitors closet with a satisfied smirk on her lips. Behind her was some random guy she'd just met only thirty minutes ago. His gaze was lost in an entranced state as he rubbed the two puncture wounds on his jugular. "That was pretty good." the goth whispered.

"T-thank you, mistress..." he droned before being sent on his way.

The redhead waved and squealed when she caught sight of the raven-haired beauty.

"Jade!" she yelled while gripping her friend in a surprisingly tight bear hug.

"Hey, Cat... How are you?"

"I'm great!" she giggled while swaying side to side. "And yeah, I met a cute boy..." she swooned causing Jade to raise an eyebrow in interest. However, before she could inquire further, she was taken aback by Cat giving her a questionable gaze.

"So Jadey, did you do anything interesting during vacation?" the perky red-head stood in front of the goth girl whose smirk quickly vanished.

"Let's just say that I had a..." she dramatically paused for a moment before resuming her explanation. "...little frustration to take out, Cat."

Cat nodded and was about to bounce to her locker when she sniffed something. "Wait for a second... You had sex?" Jade rolled her eyes then half smiled at the naive little girl in front of her.

"Yes, Cat and I have the video to prove it..." she mocked before taking a sip of her cup of coffee. "Geez for a morning person, you're not that bright," she mumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Jade glared at Cat before letting out a soft sigh. "Nothing, just that you shouldn't be hearing such horrible things..."

"KK."

Suddenly, it was Jade's turn to sniff around with Cat suddenly picking up two intimate presences. The red-haired girl's eyes twinkled while the raven-haired goth's face twisted into a grimace. It was a foul smell to her; one that was all too familiar. Two girls walked around the corner copying Jade and Cat's movements until they caught sight of the two.

"Tori! Trina!" Cat Valentine jumped up and down like a little kid in a candy store.

Tori Vega who was just as excited to see the little red-head ran up and hugged the girl with glee. "Hey, Cat... What are you doing here?"

"The same can be asked of you, Vega's." Jade snarled the latina girl with perfect cheekbones. "What brings you two around here anyway?"

Trina Vega, the older and curvier of the two sisters stepped forward and faced Jade with a scowl that rivaled the goth girls.

"Not that it's any of your business, but if you must know, we smelled something fishy and lo and behold we find you and Cat," she said in a mockingly sweet tone of voice to go with the fake smile she had forced herself to do. Jade's eyes immediately shifted from their traditional blue tint to that of a blood red while Trina's pupils turned dark and the whites of her eyes were now glowing with dark purple energy. Both girls were growling and ready to lunge at each other when Andre and Beck showed up to grab a hold of Trina and Jade respectively.

"Whoa calm down chica! Remember, we promised our parents that we would keep a low profile here?" Andre's grip on Trina tightened when she nearly slipped out.

"Yeah, and Jade remember the consequences for blowing our cover?" he whispered only loud enough for the group to hear.

Both girls stopped and reverted back to there original forms before anyone could notice what was going. As much as the two hated each other's kind (save for Cat), they both knew the results of being exposed was an immediate loss of powers except their immortality and an eternity of torture from the darkest circle in hell. Andre was the only one in the group who didn't shudder considering the ruler was his own dad.

"That's easy for you to say Beck." Jade pulled away from her ex-boyfriend. "You're an Angel, Andre's a Demon and Shapiro is a Summoner... It's not our fault our families taught us to hate each other." Jade stopped in mid-sentence only to sniff around for the second time. This time, however, a gleam in her eyes followed and her smirk grew wider exposing her now erect fangs. She wasn't alone because Tori, Cat, and Trina mirrored her actions.

"What is that heavenly scent?" Tori whispered causing the two boys to shake their heads simultaneously.

"I don't know about a scent, Tori but I'm getting a familiar form of energy heading our way."

"This is why I'm glad I'm not them." Andre leaned against his locker with a smile.

Beck nodded and chuckled to himself. "Yeah, a slave to your own senses? I'll pass thank you..."

About 30 seconds later Robbie Shapiro made his way down the hall while conversing with a young boy that no one in the group recognized.

"Hey, guys!" the nerd waved much to Jade and Trina's chagrin. "I'd like for you to meet Liam. He's new here.."

All four girls stood in awe at the young man standing before them. He stood about 6'1", had a nice muscular build, he had emerald green eyes that when the light hits them shine so bright. He had chocolate skin and his black hair was in shorter dreadlocks than Andre's and his smile was dazzling.

"Hi, I'm Liam..." he extended his hand before taking notice of who they really were.

"Wait, I know you... You're the guy from the mall." Jade announced while cocking a perfectly arched eyebrow at him coupled with her signature seductive smirk. This always got her prey, but for some reason, Liam seemed to go on with the conversation as if nothing was amiss. To say that Jade was shocked would be an understatement. Usually, no everytime she smirked in anyone's direction, they usually were under her mesmeric spell.

"You're the guy from the beach!" Cat cheered as she embraced Liam who couldn't help but reciprocate the gesture, though it did little to help rid him of the red tint on his cheeks.

"And the guy from the party." Tori and Trina said in unison before glaring at one another.

"Yeah, I didn't know you all went here. Only Tori mentioned she was a student." he casually scratched his neck.

Trina and Tori then made their move, capitalizing on Jade's failed attempt. Surely, her strong pheromones would do the trick. No man has ever broken the hold her scents had on the male mind. But again, Travis smiled innocently at the two and continued talking to Andre and the rest of the guys until the bell rang. "Nice to see you, girls, again!" he called out before disappearing into the crowd.

 **"Why is his energy so strong? Is he one of us?"** thought as they began to disperse to their respective classes.

 **"No, you dunce..."** Jade intercepted the voluptuous girl's thoughts as they walked past each other. "... **He's pure..."**

All the girls stopped dead in their tracks in wide-eyed shock at the shocking revelation from Jade. Liam Patterson was pure as in...

 **"He's a virgin!"**

* * *

It didn't take long for the girls to meet up and discuss what was occurring. Throughout the day, all four girls were twitchy and finicky at just the thought of this seemingly unknown student. That night, they all met at Trina and Tori's house. The only knowledge they had on him was the basics:

He was attractive

He had to be talented since he was a student at Hollywood Arts on a scholarship. (Which they found out through an assembly given by Principal Helen earlier that day)

and He was so pure of heart that his very presence caused them to go into heat.

"Okay, I think we understand the preliminaries, right?" Jade muttered while leaning on the front door to the Vega residence.

"Yes, Jade. We've gone over this a thousand times!" Trina groaned. "We all like the same guy. And obviously, he is attracted to us," she repeated to the group. "More so to me..." she muttered.

"Anyways, how should we handle this?" Cat asked with worry written on her face. "We can't just seduce him like all the others."

Tori nodded. "Cat's right. If we really want this guy, we'll have to take a different approach."

Then, Jade had a brilliant idea.

"Then I propose a challenge." her lips curled upward. The others looked at her confused for a moment causing her to roll her eyes. "Whoever can get Liam to admit his feelings for them can claim him as theirs."

"You mean, like a bet?" Cat asked.

Jade simply nodded with a 'duh' expression on her face.

"Exactly."

Tori was unsure but Trina was all for it. She begrudgingly shook the goth girls hand. "I'm in."

Eventually, Cat and Tori caved and accepted the challenge as well.

So it was settled. Four girls with supernatural abilities were now in competition for the heart and soul of an innocent human being. Each was equipped with their own strategies to get him as they disbursed to their respective homes.

Cat, the seemingly clueless anthromorphic shapeshifter was the most naturally persuasive out of the four. She knew that by acting dumb around everyone, nobody would suspect her to swoop in with the force and intelligence she truly possessed. She would simply play the innocent helpless girl who gets picked on verbally in hopes that Liam's honor would kick in and rescue her thus allowing her to infiltrate his heart and gain a boyfriend and future mate in the end. Twas the nature of a shifter...

Trina, the succubus, had her plan set from the beginning. She would use her 'assets' to her advantage and seduce Travis by any means necessary. This included possible sexual encounters in needed. She'd been gifted with a curvy figure, beautiful eyes and a pair of breast that would give Pamela Anderson a run for her money (If Pam's were 100% real in the first place). She had no length of stopping once she was on a roll. It was truly all or nothing for her. Maybe he would come to like her in the process of just being herself but if not, then she was perfectly content with him loving her body. Either way, she won...

Tori, the werewolf, was the boldest out of the girls. She had no reserves in being upfront with anybody which resulted in many dates and even roles in plays. Jade, was the same way which caused a true rivalry between the two. For generations, vampires and werewolves have battled for blood, food sources, and even mates. However, this was going to take much more than fighting among each other. To each other, they were the other's biggest threats in claiming Liam for themselves.

Sure, Trina, had her beauty and Cat has the personality of a lovable pet in their eyes, but it wasn't enough to cause for worry. No, they would have to contend with one another if they wanted to get what they felt was theirs. Tori would have to outwit Jade while Jade would have to practice restraint and patience. Truly, this was the life and hardships of centuries of war and hell between two species. Besides, she seemed to have an advantage over the others in having some form of idea that they'd met prior to their earlier encounter at the mall and while she couldn't put her finger on just what exactly was happening, she was the more cunning and inquisitive of the bunch which she knew would aid her in the long run.

Four girls...

Each with their own agendas...

All vying for one person...

The life of a human being...

The heart and soul of Liam Patterson...

They were what they were.

Monsters...

But, even these beautiful monsters weren't prepared for what lied ahead...

While their goals were understood, there was one nagging question that troubled each of them:

"Where do I know him from?"

* * *

Far from their knowledge, among the shadows echoed the howls and cries of the young man they desired to possess. His blood spilling on the green grass and brown earth. His tears mixing with the dirt. His eyes no longer honey brown but pure blood red. The chains that jingled under his resistance.

A lash...

then another...

then another...

He roared for mercy but none would be given.

"You will learn strength through pain..." The shadowy figure uttered in a mixture of disgust and pleasure at the suffering he was orchestrating. "...my son..."


	59. Chapter 54

**Disclaimer:**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.**

 **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

 **Four girls...**

 **Each with their own agendas...**

 **All vying for one person...**

 **The life of a human being...**

 **The heart and soul of Liam Patterson...**

 **They were what they were.**

 **Monsters...**

 **But, even these beautiful monsters weren't prepared for what lied ahead...**

 **While their goals were understood, there was one nagging question that troubled each of them:**

 **"Where do I know him from?"**

 **Far from their knowledge, among the shadows echoed the howls and cries of the young man they desired to possess. His blood spilling on the green grass and brown earth. His tears mixing with the dirt. His eyes no longer honey brown but pure blood red. The chains that jingled under his resistance.**

 **A lash...**

 **then another...**

 **then another...**

 **He roared for mercy but none would be given.**

 **"You will learn strength through pain..." The shadowy figure uttered in a mixture of disgust and pleasure at the suffering he was orchestrating. "...my son..."**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 54: Familiarity & Contempt**

Liam awoke to the sound of tweeting birds and the pink/orange tint of the rising sun peeking through his window. Yawning, he attempted at getting up only to feel as if an elephant was sitting on his chest. The heaviness that weighed him down was beyond frustrating but after taking a deep breath, he maneuvered his body to finally accomplish the task.

"Damn, only 5 in the morning," he muttered as he scratched the top of his head. "Well, guess it's time to take care of business.

He scanned his surroundings taking notice of the worn out wallpaper, the dingy looking closet, and the crack in his window that let in just enough air for him not to suffocate from the heat. That was when reality truly set in on him.

He was in his brother's old apartment.

"Jacob..." he whispered as he averted his gaze to the lone picture of them both together.

They were both very young and energetic boys growing up and the contents of the picture showed just that. Liam was jumping on Jacob's back revealing a snaggletoothed smile that formed from ear to ear. Jacob meanwhile, was holding a net with what appeared to be a group of fireflies floating inside. He too had a wide smile only all of his teeth were there. Behind them stood a magnificent sunlight that was partially hidden by the forest background and yet, it still managed to capture the pair's innocence perfectly.

"Those were the days..." he uttered those cryptic words before departing for the bathroom in an eagerness to escape the painful memories that he could retain.

He entered quickly into the room and turned on the shower head allowing the water to engulf his body. He winced at first due to the duality of the water hitting his scarred wounds and the transition from cold to hot. Proceeding to wash, he began to think of all that had changed within the past few months. First, his mother was taken from him by someone whom the police couldn't locate. Then, he had to accept the reality of the loss of his older brother Jacob. The result came in the form of several weeks worth of brutal 'training' that his Jericho put him through since that night. All of those thoughts began to overwhelm him as he fought back the tears. Finally, he thought about the new friends he'd made during his short time at Hollywood Arts and with a smile, allowed said tears to fall freely.

There was no sobbing. no sniffling. Not even so much as a grimace.

Liam beamed at the thought and concluded his shower before getting dressed at departing for his morning routine. Despite his upbeat attitude, a lingering existence swirled around the now vacant apartment, sadistically savoring the negativity that remained in the air.

 **You're progressing quite nicely, young master.**

* * *

"What a boring day..."

Jade was sashaying her hips as she walked down the hallway; her signature smirk plastered on her lips. By now, classes were either finishing up or already concluded which meant that she was free to waltz through the halls of Hollywood Arts until she felt ready to leave. After the events of last week, Jade knew better than to rush into something... Unlike her three rivals, Jade was the most enduring and knew how to wait before engaging a cute guy. However, amidst her waiting period, Jade witnessed both Trina and Cat nearly jolt the guy off with their persistent seducing.

"Liam!" Trina whined in her playful dog voice. "How about we go to the movies tonight, Tiger?"

Out of no where, Jade felt murderous intent well up within herself, a state that 'the other Vega' took great delight in upon sensing it.

"No!" Cat interjected. "We can play mini-golf tonight!" the red-haired girl clung to his arm which Jade found hilarious but she did feel a twinge in her heart for the guy. "Wait a minute..." she clutched her chest while trying to figure out what was going on. "Jade West does NOT feel for anyone!" She mentally berated herself. Then to make matters worse...

"Vega." The only girl Jade West felt threatened by. Tori walked by and managed to pull the clearly overwhelmed boy away from the annoying duo making sure to scold both girls for there 'unwanted advances' as she so politely put it.

"Guys! Leave the guy alone. He's only been here for a week and you two are treating him like a piece of meat!"

Jade decided to make her appearance then and there.

"You two are treating him like a piece of meat!" the gothic girl taunted causing Tori to growl.

Clenching her fists the younger Vega's eyes began to turn yellow and her teeth began to shift into canines. "For the hundredth time... I don't talk like an actor from the 1940's!" she half roared. Now both girls were fuming and bumping heads while snarling at one another when a familiar voice rang in their ears.

"You have pretty eyes, Tori."

It was then that the glaring stopped and all four girls stared at the guy who looked to be...

 _ **Is he blushing?**_ Tori wondered as she finally noticed that she was in mid-stride of transforming.

Jade had a look of pure shock. _**He is NOT blushing at Vega!**_

 _ **He looks so cute blushing!**_ Trina and Cat both shouted in their minds while gazing lovingly.

"Really?" Tori tucked away some of her brown hair behind her ear trying (and failing) to suppress a blush from creeping onto her cheeks as well.

"Absolutely! In fact... How about we all go somewhere tonight? I've been meaning to get out more and see the city."

There was a twinkle in each girls eyes.

"How about Nozu's..." Jade offered. "They have a karaoke contest tonight..."

Liam flashed a smile that made Jade's seemingly ice cold heart melt. "Sure, I'd like that Jade," he replied.

As he turned the corner, all the girls exchanged a look of disdain but nodded at one another letting each of them know that this was a neutral meeting.

* * *

 **Nozu's**

Andre, Beck, Robbie, and Liam had just arrived at the sushi restaurant to see the four 'bachelorettes' waiting impatiently at the front counter.

"About time you showed up, Beck." Jade lazily announced with her head resting on the palms of her pale hands.

Smirking, Beck and the others chuckled as they took their seats.

"Wow, such a nice place." Travis scanned his surroundings while Andre ordered something. After about five minutes, a large platter filled with colorful foods was brought to them. "What is this?" he asked while plucking a piece off of the round and gray ball.

"Spicy tuna balls," Trina exclaimed while making goo-goo eyes at him.

Once he took a bite, Liam's eyes shot open and a smile curled onto his lips.

"Wow this is fantastic!" he began taking another bite and appeared to be enjoying it even more. Cat giggled at the sight of the young boy while sparking an idea. She leaned towards Jade and whispered something in her ear. Jade's eyes twinkled as her devious smirk returned on her face. Both girls walked up to the karaoke table and after placing their requests, they were standing onstage.

"We'd like to dedicate this song to our newest friend, Liam," Jade spoke into the microphone.

"Hi, Liam!" Cat waved gleefully, ignoring the weird stares from those around her.

Then the music started.

 **"Give It Up" (performed by Elizabeth Gillies & Ariana Grande)**

 **[Jade:] Someday I'll let you in, treat you right, drive you outta your mind! Oooh**

 **[Cat:] You never met a chick like me Burn so bright I'm gonna make you blind**

 **[Both:] Always want what you can't have Is it so bad When you don't get what you wanted. Make you feel good As I whip you Into shape, ya boy Let's get it started!**

 **[Both:] Give it up You can't win Cause I know where you've been Such a shame You don't put up a fight That's a game that we play At the end of the night It's the same old story But you never get it right Give it up**

Something then began to click with Liam's attention became solely on the two girls melodious harmonies. Even while looking at both of them with wonder behind his eyes, he couldn't shake off the feeling that even he couldn't understand at the moment.

"I could never win with you," he whispered just low enough to escape even Tori's heightened sense of hearing.

 **[Both:] Come a little closer Baby, baby Come a little closer Come a little closer Baby, baby**

 **[Jade:] So stop trying to walk away No you won't ever leave me behind**

 **[Cat:] (Noooo) You better believe that I'm here to stay**

 **[Jade:] (That's right)**

 **[Cat:] Cause you're the shade and I'm the sunshine (Ooooohh)**

Tori and Trina watched as their crush's focus was solely on the raven and red-haired girls respectively. Tori flared her nostrils in jealousy that didn't go unnoticed by the vampire. Trina simply glared as even her own powers wouldn't be enough to break the hold that Cat and Jade possessed collectively. Jade's smirked grew as she wiggled her eyebrows showing her satisfaction at the two's reactions.

 **[Both:] Look at me boy 'Cause I got you Where I want you Isn't it so exciting? Wanna shake you When I break you Take a backseat boy Cause now I'm driving**

 **[Both:] Give it up You can't win Cause I know where you've been Such a shame You don't put up a fight That's a game that we play At the end of the night It's the same old story But you never get it right. Give it up!**

As the music gave the duo a break, Jade continued to steal glances at the young man, more than content as he simply stared back at them… no, he was staring at HER only. Within seconds, she noticed that Cat was still wrapped up in her little solo which meant that she hadn't noticed this yet.

 ** _Seems there's something to work with…_** she began to gloat mentally until she noticed something.

As the music began to pick up, she spotted an emerald draped around his neck that was more than just distracting. It was another trigger, similar to the nickname that Tori's sister used earlier that day. Memories began to flood into her mind at a lightnight pace before she managed to push them down and resume the song.

 **[Both:] Come a little closer Come a little closer Baby, baby Come a little closer Come a little closer Baby, baby Come a little closer Come a little closer Baby Yeah if you are my baby And I'll make you crazy tonight**

 **[Both:] Look at me boy 'Cause I got you Where I want you Isn't it so exciting? Wanna shake you When I break you Take a backseat boy Cause now I'm driving**

 **[Both:] Give it up You can't win Cause I know where you've been Such a shame You don't put up a fight That's a game that we play At the end of the night It's the same old story But you never get it right Give it up, Ohhhh YEAH!**

It wasn't until the song ended that Liam finally shook off the effects of the two girls entrancing performance. Of course, Tori and Trina noticed this and were not pleased, to say the least. Both latina girls exchanged looks of understanding that showed that they would team up together for now until Jade and Cat were out of the picture.

"That was great girls." He smiled at the triumphant girls who sat down on either side of him.

"Glad you enjoyed our performance." Cat cooed while gently stroking his jawline, reveling in her uncharacteristic.

Then Tori's mind began to wonder. "So, what did you do to get into Hollywood Arts?"

Liam's face turned a slight reddish tint as he nodded knowing what was coming next. "W-Well you see I um-"

"He sings," Robbie interjected. "Rather well too!"

Everyone turned to the formerly geeky boy including the now glaring Liam himself.

"It's nothing really…" he chuckled nervously once the eyes of the gang turned back to him. "I just did what came naturally to me. Nothing major."

"Are you kidding?! He sang so well that Principal Helen was shedding tears and was willing to give him a full ride scholarship here because of how great he was!"

The girls looked back at Travis who's face was now a beet red (Or as red as you can get when you're a chocolate complexion).

"Then it's settled…" Trina crossed her arms, catching everyone's attention. "Time to get on stage, Tiger."

 ** _Tiger?_** Jade felt a pang of pure hatred pierce her chest. **_Nobody calls him that but… me?_**

Thankfully, nobody seemed to notice the confusion that washed over her face, allowing Jade to shake off this weird face. To her knowledge, she'd never once called Liam that so, why would she feel any anger towards Trina Vega for using it? This feeling inside of her chest was strange and yet… so familiar at the same time.

"You have to sing!" Cat popped up and down in her seat causing everyone to nod in agreement. "Please? With sprinkles on top?"

"I-I don't know..."

"Come on. Please?" Tori pulled out her secret weapon; the dreaded dog pout.

"Okay, Okay... I'll do it." he chuckled as Andre stood up to his feet as well. "Mind helping me out, Andre?"

"I can't leave you alone in this man. Besides, I'm just gonna back you up." the dreadlocked demon put his hand on his slightly uncomfortable friend's shoulder whilst guiding him towards the stage.

Back with the girls, Jade decided to voice her opinion, finally managing to fully shake off the stress of Trina's nickname; For now, she'd focus on the here and now.

"Good job, Vega." Tori looked at her frenemy and rival confused. "For once your doggy pout was wanted."

Tori only rolled her eyes and turned her attention back at the stage.

After the guys placed their request, the music began.

 **"Don't Make 'Em Like You" (feat. Wiz Khalifa)**

 **[Liam/Andre]**

 **Clap for her, clap for her**

 **Cause they don't make em like her no more**

 **Clap for her, clap for her**

 **Cause they don't make em like you no**

 **[Liam]**

 **Shorty not the regular in all this**

 **Tell me what you call it**

 **When a chick don't make decision based on a dude's wallet**

 **She ain't in the club acting like an alcoholic**

 **She's a pretty girl, tipsy**

 **No stumbling and falling**

 **If she leaves the club with me**

 **Then her maturity**

 **Gonna make sure she follow me in her car**

 **She's so responsible, she gone make sure**

 **She leaves in time to get home, get ready for work**

 **Or get ready for class, because shawty major**

 **It's business and accounting, know her mama proud of her**

 **So for my little mama, anti-drama**

 **So in celebration of you**

 **Shawty I'ma raise a glass,**

 **Here's a toast to the ladies with class,**

 **I see you, babe**

 **[Together]**

 **Saying hey-ey-ey**

 **I love the way she make**

 **Girl the way you are**

 **Cause they don't make like you no more**

 **Baby girl, keep doing you, how you do, I love the way you move**

 **They don't make em like you**

 **Girl, they don't make like you no more**

 **[Liam]**

 **She a diva**

 **Take a second to turn you into a believer**

 **She a viva**

 **In the middle of July**

 **12 noon in Las Vegas, that mean shawty on fire,**

 **She knows what she wants**

 **Not afraid to get it, not afraid to have fun**

 **Baby you the one, few and far between**

 **Sexy as they come, swag so mean**

 **I'ma raise a glass**

 **Here's a toast to my ladies with class**

The crowd erupted into fits of cheers, clapping along to the upbeat song as the two continued on.

 **[Together]**

 **Saying hey-ey-ey**

 **I love the way she make**

 **Baby, I love the way you are**

 **Cause they don't make like you no more**

 **Baby girl, keep doing you, how you do, I love the way you move**

 **They don't make em like you**

 **Girl, they don't make like you no more**

 **Clap for her, clap for her**

 **They don't make em like her no more**

 **Clap for her, clap for her**

 **Cause they don't make em like you no**

 **[Andre]**

 **Top notch, top floor**

 **4-54, fully restored**

 **Nice wheels, red bottoms galore**

 **Been honest they don't make em like you anymore**

 **We the hottest in my whip**

 **Give me the promise**

 **We'll be dancing with the stars and throwing peace signs at the comments**

 **We'll be posing for the cameras when they bring us on the carpet**

 **Eating breakfast in the morning while we reading all the comments**

 **Like "ooh girl", "aww man", "Y'all see her"**

 **Got me like I'ma spend my whole life with you**

 **And make the perfect wife out you**

 **And now the mother of my kids**

The girls began to cheer on Andre who once again exceeded expectations when it came to performing. They never knew that he was excellent at rapping but that was vintage Andre; always pulling off the unexpected.

 **[Liam]**

 **Oh, everybody raise a glass**

 **Here's a toast to my ladies with class**

 **[Together]**

 **Saying hey-ey-ey**

 **I love the way she make**

 **Oh I love the way you are**

 **Cause they don't make like you no more**

 **Saying hey-ey-ey**

 **I love the way she make**

 **Said I love the way you are**

 **They don't make like you no more**

 **Baby girl, keep doing you, how you do, I love the way you move**

 **They don't make em like you**

 **Girl, they don't make like you no more**

 **Clap for her, clap for her**

 **Cause they don't make em like you no more**

 **Clap for her, clap for her**

 **Cause they don't make em like you no more**

When the music ended, everyone in the restaurant was yelling and cheering at the two boys who took a bow and headed back to their seats.

"Andre!" Tori cried out in awe. "You guys were amazing!"

Jade not wanting to be 1-upped, pushed past her rival and wrapped her arms around Liam's neck, thus making their embrace that much more intimate. "Easy, Vega! They were perfect..." she mocked causing Tori to have to suppress a low growl.

"Really? And what about the deal that was made at school Jade?" Trina fumed trying to keep her magic trigger finger in check.

Jade shrugged and then kissed the object of her affections cheek causing him to blush profusely.

"It's just all a part of the game we're playing..." she winked at him while the group began to leave. Only a bewildered Cat, Trina, and Tori remained sitting at the counter exchanging glances at one another. Mentally, they were discussing Jade's 'breach of contract' and how to go about this when Cat flashed a rare smirk of her own.

"So Jade wants to play that game?" her face darkened for a split second before returning to her sunshine demeanor. "Then lets play..."

Tori and Trina watched with worried looks as Cat skipped out the door but nodded as they too made their way out of the sushi bar.

* * *

Later that night Liam decided that he would walk home but about halfway there, he quickly felt that his decision was a bad one. He decided to take a shortcut through the park and felt slightly better due to the abundance of street lights that shined throughout the premises. Despite all of this, his heart was telling him that he was not alone but he shrugged it off as letting his imagination gain control over him.

Unbeknownst to him though, his suspicion was more real than he could imagine. He was being followed by a mysterious figure who carefully followed the youth through the trees making sure not to alert the boy's senses. Weaving their body through the branches without making so much as a sound, the figure watched on as its prey continued walking without so much as another thought of who or what was coming for him.

This continued for another 20 minutes until Liam finally made it back to the apartment. He quickly locked the door and breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, thoughts of his dad flashed in his mind causing him to shudder at the tortures he endured thanks to that man's 'training regimen'.

It was the reason he was staying in the apartment again.

"Okay Liam, get a hold of yourself..." he whispered to himself.

After calming down, he started his nightly routine of showering and reading and before too long, he was sprawled out on the bed unconscious. Unknown to him, the mysterious figure had followed him and was about to enter through a cracked window but stopped short when they sensed the atmosphere shift around.

"What the-?"

"Where am I?" Liam whispered to himself as he woke up in an all-white room. He scanned his surroundings trying to make sense of where he was. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, the next thing he noticed was a sweet scent that invaded his nostrils.

"What is that heavenly smell?" he pondered as he attempted to stand up.

"It's me, Liam..."

Turning around, he saw Jade West clothed in a dark purple skin tight silk dress that showed off her ample breast with a silky shawl that ran over her pale shoulders. Her Dark raven hair cascaded past her shoulders allowing him a full view of her matching purple highlights. Her ivory skin was emphasized by her blue-green eyes. Her lips were turned up into a sweet smirk as she sashayed toward him.

"Jade?" he squinted his eyes as if trying to make sense of what was going on. "Why are you dressed like that?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck making extra sure to close the distance between the two of them. Without delay, her smile turned into a seductive pout. "Do you find me unpleasant?" she mockingly moaned as she batted her eyelashes.

Taken aback, Liam's eyes shot open and his face was redder than a tomato. "N-No, I don't think you're ugly... its just you're gorgeous..." He blurted out then clasped his mouth in the realization of what he said.

Jade purred playfully as her finger traced his jawline pulling his face towards her. As his heart began to pound in his chest, he suddenly felt an uncontrollable urge to just kiss her sweet lips. As she inched closer to him, their lips were millimeters apart when-

"Liam!"

The young boy turned his head to the left to see a short familiar red-haired girl dressed in a pink t-shirt that was two sizes too small accentuating her breasts that threatened to break through the fabric. Her red hair had tiny seashells adorning it while her face sparkled with her innocent smile. To say that Jade was pissed would be the understatement of the century (no pun intended). She was fuming inwardly as Liam gently pulled away to see if his eyes were deceiving him.

"Cat?" he rubbed his eyes in astonishment.

She nodded her head and clapped her hands in joy.

"Yay! You remember me!"

He couldn't help but let out of small chuckle as he shook his head. "I've known you for about two weeks now. I don't think I can forget you THAT easily."

Suddenly, her smile turned to a hurt frown.

"What's THAT supposed to mean?!" she appeared to be close to tears.

Catching himself, he quickly rubbed her back hoping to calm her down.

"I'm sorry!" he swiftly waved his hands in hopes of calming the typically energetic girl. "I just meant that I couldn't forget about you, Cat..."

Cat perked up at the sound of that and hugged him; his heart once again began pounding his ribcage.

"Cat? What are you doing here?" Jade mused while trying to hide her apparent anger towards her best friend.

"I don't follow..." the happy-go-lucky girl shook her head in mock ignorance.

"What she means is..." Jade was interrupted by another all too familiar voice. "...Why are you invading his mind?"

Both girls and Liam looked behind them to see the Vega duo standing beside one another. What they were wearing could only be described as jaw-dropping. Trina Vega was wearing a tight form-fitting leather full bodysuit that hugged her curves in all the right places and a witches hat that covered the top right corner of her face. Tori was also wearing a matching outfit but hers was blue and had the sides cut out only to be laced. They both wore stiletto knee high heels in their respective colors.

Liam was sweating from the heat or so he thought. Jade in the most revealing dress he'd ever seen. Cat dressed as a seductive mermaid. Trina and Tori in matching leather body suits that left nothing to the imagination. All of this was beginning to take its toll on him as he felt his jeans tighten around his leg. All four girls took notice of this and flashed flirtatious grins at each other before returning their focus to him.

"My my..." Trina sniggered. "Someone's happy to see us."

Jade wanted to object and say something snarky at the 'untalented' Vega sister, but couldn't tear her gaze from Liam's 'little friend' that wasn't so little.

"I hate to say it Vega, but you're right. Maybe we can share him tonight..." the goth girl licked her lips as suddenly, his vision began to fade.

After leaving Liam's dream realm, the girls quietly snuck out of the apartment and were none too pleased with one another. In truth, Jade's plan wasn't supposed to involve anything sexual but, she felt she had to give off that appearance once the others showed up.

In reality, she was hoping to have something of a serious chat with Liam within his mind so that they could have some sort of privacy from the others.

The topic?

She wanted clues as to why she was felt this weird connection with him.

Unfortunately, this was thwarted once Tori and the others arrived and to say that Jade was livid would be an understatement. For now, however, she'd keep this to herself as she fiddled with her bracelet whilst attempting to ignore the werewolf chastising her.

"Dammit, Jade," Tori growled. "You swore that you wouldn't invade his mind and lo and behold we catch you trying to seduce him."

Cat and Trina overlapped their arms with a firm glare directed at the vampire who, as usual, stood aloof of the scene that went through.

"What were you thinking?" Trina asked curiously but still with a touch of indignation in her tone.

"That's what I would like to know."

All four girls looked in the direction of the apartments to see a lone figure dropping from the trees. As the unknown figure began to stalk towards them, Jade spoke up.

"And who are you?" she asked triggering the crimson hue of her bloodline as she readied herself to strike.

Removing their mask, the figure revealed her identity causing the girls to look on in dread.

"Oh no…" Tori asked in an unstable voice. "What are you doing here?"

The young woman's hardened gaze burrowed deep into each girl compelling them into a stationary state of fear. She began to saunter past them but stopped and pointed her left palm at Jade. Releasing a shockwave, she launched the goth into a large oak tree that resulted in said tree to groan as it began to snap from the roots while Jade landed on the ground with a sickening thud. As she fought to get to her feet, multi-colored eyes flashed her anger back to the others who flinched at her returning gaze.

"I am your watcher, and I felt that I needed to follow you four tonight to see what kind of mischief you were involved in." she eyed Jade who was leaning against the half-broken tree while clutching her ribs. "Sure enough, my hunch was correct. Not only are you four involved with a human but you're gambling for his heart?" she bellowed.

"It was all Jade's idea..." Cat whimpered, hoping to avoid the woman's wrath.

"But you all are involved nonetheless and for that, you all are a part of this."

Tori was cowering but Trina was the one to steel herself. "Yes, Lucille, we all are responsible for this. True, Jade was the one to initiate this but we all agreed to the conditions and for that we all are guilty."

Taken aback, the older woman's gaze soon softened in both frustration and understanding as she let out a tiny sigh.

"I understand that even though you all are supernatural creatures, you are also teenage girls." she let out a grin and prepared to walk off. "I just hope you all know what you're getting into with this boy."

Tori and the others exchanged looks at one another and within a blink of an eye, Lucille had disappeared.

It had been nearly a month since the dream incident and encounter with Rebecca and the girls were proceeding with extra caution. Jade still flirted openly much to the disdain of the other girls who tried to keep a low profile in regards to catching Liam's attention.

Cat had found an alternate way to spend time with him thanks in part to Mr. Sikowitz who paired the two up for a play that was coming up in the second semester. Tori would cunningly figure out ways of finding Liam outside of school be it at one of the guy's houses or even in the park. Trina, however, was having a bit of an issue due to the other three and was quickly losing control of her abilities. Her 'frustrations' were becoming evident through her powers manifesting through unconventional means.

One incident, in particular, saw her accidentally blow the fuse to the school's lighting system which resulted in classes ending for the day. Now she was writhing in her bed clutching her sheets as images of Liam filled her head. Soft moans escaped her full lips as beads of sweat dripped off her forehead. Swirls of magical essence surrounded her sleeping figure until a gentle hand touched her cheek waking Trina from her lustful slumber.

"Liam?" she eked out as her eyes fluttered open.

"No... Trina, it's me, your sister."

Shaking off the effects of her dream, Trina's vision focused on the furry figure kneeling next to her.

"Tori? What's going on?" she whispered. "Why are you in your wolf form?"

The younger Vega sister smirked softly as she wiped a bit of sweat off Trina's brow. "I was having those dreams again..." she admitted while suppressing a blush. "I ended up slashing my sheets to ribbons."

Glancing at her alarm clock, Trina sighed and slumped into her pillow. It was only 4:57 in the morning; almost dawn and it seemed that the time wasn't going to go any faster.

"Wanna watch a movie or something?" Tori offered only to see a soft scowl on her sisters face. "Maybe a walk?" Trina's face shifted to a soft smile and got out of the bed heading to her closet.

"Oh by the way Tori? You may want to change back to your human form..." she giggled as her sister looked at her in confusion before noticing her bare chest and darting for her own room.

* * *

It took the two about fifteen minutes to arrive at the park. Once they entered the grounds, they began to chat and for the first time in years, enjoy one another's company. It wasn't about who could one-up who for once, it was about rekindling their broken sisterhood. Tori took a deep breath and let the breeze blow her hair back and Trina did the same.

"Wow it's almost six and the sun still hasn't come up yet." the younger sibling noted while pointing to the pink horizon.

Trina nodded with a grin that soon faded when she noticed something out of the ordinary.

"Tori?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think is going on over there?"

Far away from the sisters were two figures who appeared to be engaged in combat. One was a mature man with brown hair that was now messily scattered across his face while the other was a familiar sight.

"Is that Liam?" Tori asked with a twinge of concern oozing through each word.

Indeed, it was their crush who was picking himself up off of the ground.

Anyone who had witnessed what occurred earlier that night would've noticed by now that he was exhausted beyond any known definition of the word but to the Vega sisters, it appeared that he was just taking a breather. Within seconds they watched as the older man charged at Liam with ill intentions only to hit nothing but air as he ducked under the punch and attempted a spinning back kick. The man quickly shifted his body around and grabbed his foot and with ease lifted him in the air and with a loud crash, Liam was once again on the ground.

"You're weak and pathetic!" the man roared as he stalked Liam's retreating form. "How do you expect to join me in the hunt if you can't even defend against another human?!"

Inching closer and closer, the man grinned sadistically as he watched Liam earnestly back into an oak tree trapping himself. Wide-eyed but not willing to show weakness, he attempted to stand on wobbly legs only to have a large hand wrap around his neck and lift him off of the ground.

He clawed and tried desperately to pry the hand loose but to no avail as his hold stiffened causing him to see stars flashing in his peripheral. "You disgust me..."

With those final words, Tori and Trina watched as a devastating blow connected with Liam's gut, knocking every ounce of air out of his body causing him to go limp. The man simply scoffed and dropped his 'lifeless' carcass on the grass savoring the vicious thud as he enjoyed his handy work.

"Simply pathetic..." he spat with palpable animosity.

The man then walked away leaving behind Liam's unconscious body where he left it.

Once he disappeared, the girls quickly but cautiously headed down to Travis. Tori was assessing the damage done while Trina looked on in horror. "Is he..?"

Tori shook her head. "He's still alive, just unconscious," she stated. "He needs to be healed considering that blow nearly killed him. His body appears to have taken much more damage than what we just witnessed."

Nodding, Trina earnestly got to work while Tori kept a lookout for anyone who might come past. Within minutes Liam breathing had returned to normal and his fresh bruises were healing quickly. Trina wanted this to go faster but knew that in order to completely help she needed to take her time and focus her mind on each spot.

"D-D..."

Tori jump a little but quietly brushed his hair. "What is he saying?"

Trina made no movement to acknowledge the question but continued healing until she saw his eyes flutter.

"Liam?"

He let out a deep breath and shot up into a sitting position. "Wha-? What happened?" he asked while grasping his now pounding head.

Tori simply hugged him and Trina, not one to be one-upped, copied the gesture. Liam was confused but hugged them both back. He wasn't sure what was happening or why he was receiving this much attention, but he wasn't one to complain.

Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows, the man grinned wickedly at what he had just witnessed. He knew that the two girls weren't ordinary and the 'demonstration' he saw was confirmation of that. His eyes twinkled with a sickening delight as he watched the three leave just as the sun was peaking over the fields.

"So, you proved to be of use after all..." he whispered to no one in particular. "...My son."

* * *

Later that morning, a sore Liam and the guys were sitting in Sikowitz's class waiting for the girls to show up. About five minutes later, Cat walked through the door with her red hair matted on her head. Soon, Jade, Tori, and Trina followed behind her in a similar fashion.

"Well, it's nice to see you all so cheerful today!" Andre joked only to receive four smoldering glares directed at him. "I'll shut up now..."

Beck and Robbie turned around leaving only a concerned Liam who was wondering what caused the usually radiant girls to look so thrown away today. Although he had encountered Tori and her sister earlier that morning, he fondly remembered seeing them with energy and a certain pep in their step but now, only a few hours later, they were looking like death boiled over. But before his mind could process anything else, the hobo dressed teacher stormed through the room in a mad frenzy.

"Attention ladies and gentlemen! I have an announcement to make regarding Christmas break." he leaned forward with a grin.

"Just get on with it will ya!" Jade snapped while rubbing her temples. Sikowitz jumped slightly and proceeded on. "This year, the school is funding a field trip to a local ski resort located in Paris, France. If you choose to attend, I will offer extra credit for those of you who are failing my course..." he flashed a glance at Trina who only blushed out of embarrassment much to Jade's delight. "You will also be given some extra money through the school funding for spending and leisure."

The entire class howled and cheered just as the bell began to ring.

The only person not cheering was our hero...

Liam.

Things were beginning to get more and more weird for his taste.

That night, Liam was getting ready to head out with Andre and Beck who were going to meet up with Robbie and the girls at a kickback in half an hour. Oddly, his father had allowed him to skip the hunt when he mentioned that Tori and the others were going to be there. The plan, however, was to meet up and hang out before the Hollywood Arts party and then arrive fashionably late.

"Dad, I'm leaving now..." he announced as he passed the kitchen.

Jericho, who was reading a newspaper and adjusting his glasses simply nodded not even taking his eyes off of the article he was reading about a man he had just sent to prison earlier that week being sentenced to 14 years on account of multiple charges against the state. As the front door shut though, the glint returned to his eyes. Looking at the table, he noticed that Liam had forgotten his phone much to his satisfaction. Picking up the device, he scrolled through the contacts and found three names that were vital to his plan. He typed word after word for a short and simple message that would guarantee his success tonight.

 **To: Beck, Robbie, Andre  
Change in plans. Time moved up so I'll be at school early…**

Once the message was sent, he removed his glasses and headed out the door.

At the park, Liam looked around for his friends only to find Tori, Trina, Jade, and Cat who were equally puzzled to see just him approaching alone. With the sun nearly gone, the twilight sky was quickly becoming shrouded by a blanket of pitch black which prompted the light posts to shine down on the various walkways.

"Hey, where's Beck and the others?" Liam asked.

Jade looked at him weirdly. "I thought they were coming with you?"

"I showed up at their houses but found nobody there except Andre's grandma who was rambling about a soccer ball being a raccoon or something..." he shook his head.

"Yeah, she tends to do that... a lot." Tori admitted earning a nod from the others. "So should we just get going or-"

Before she could finish, Tori let out a yelp as she became entangled in a silver wired net. Squirming and struggling, she groaned in pain as she fought viciously to escape. Jade ran to help only to be shot with something small but sharp in her leg. Pulling the tiny object from her thigh, she sniffed it and cringed as her entire right half was engulfed with a rapid burning sensation. "It's garlic and holy water..." Trina said while trying her best to help Jade. Cat was scared and trembling but Liam abandoned all fear and ran over to release Tori but an arrow that just missed him by an inch stopped him in his tracks.

"Hello, son..."

With a terror that gripped him like a vice, he turned slowly to see Jericho step into the clearing.

"Dad? What are you doing here?"

The sinister grin, the weapons that were strapped to his uniform, the look of pure thrill from seeing pain...

This was a hunt, and Liam was the bait.

"Dad, why did you do this?" he yelled with timidity still laced with each word.

Jericho then let out a sickening chuckle that sent shivers down his son's spine. "Isn't it obvious, son?" he took a few steps closer. "You're finally serving a purpose to your old man."

Then it hit him...

"Those girls are not human, boy. So they must be eliminated from this world." Though his words came out casually, Travis could sense the venom oozing from his father's words that forced him to take notice of the reality before him. "It's time for you to make me proud... by killing these monsters."

Liam looked at Trina.

Then to Tori.

Then Cat and finally Jade.

"Monsters? What are you talking about?" Could he really bring himself to kill these girls who he learned to call friends? Who he learned to care about? Everything from the thoughts running through his head to the moment before him, he knew that a choice had to be made. "No..." Jericho's grin fell.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not going to kill them."

Somehow, there was a change in Liam; a change that did not sit well with the patriarch.

No longer did fear grip his heart. He looked at the man who he called dad, the man who raised his brother and despised his mother with a burning hatred the likes of which he'd never felt before.

The man whose love he wanted was now being viewed as an enemy and a threat to his beloved friends.

All of that meant nothing as he glared at this creature standing before him.

"You will do as I say or else you will be punished." Jericho seethed through gritted teeth. "By witnessing the death of these demonic beings!"

In a split second, everything felt like it was in slow motion. Then, before anyone could process what was going on, the words of a familiar woman rang through their ears.

"You're under arrest!"

* * *

 **The following week...**

After the events that shook up the gang, it was finally time for the trip to Paris. However, being on a plane for 3 hours did not help Liam sleep at all. He had so much on his mind lately ever since the first day of being a student at Hollywood Arts. From day one, he had been getting this unusual feeling inside of his gut and it's been pestering him since. The problem with that was: He only gets this feeling around anything (or anybody) supernatural. Add that to the revelation of what his now incarcerated father/murderer, and he was a nervous wreck. It took everyone, including Helen and Sikowitz to convince him to go on this trip instead of staying home for Christmas vacation.

That's right, Liam could sense spiritual/supernatural beings, a 'gift' that he had developed during his time 'training'. Unknown to anyone else, he had had a strong feeling around his own friends, though it was exceptionally potent around the girls. He had felt uneasy especially after his little dream episode. Then his mind began to drift back to the events at the park. He remembered that he barely managed to stop his dad from impaling a frightened Cat with a medieval sword by tackling the man to the ground. Then as if out of nowhere, he heard the voice of Officer Rebecca who had her gun drawn and was calling for back up. After that fiasco, he was asked if he was able to stay home with someone but opted to go to the apartment instead. He later watched Jericho being put into a police vehicle and for the first time since his brother's death smiled a true smile.

"Officer Lucille is something else..." he mused in his head before finally drifting to sleep. Beck and Robbie all felt the same thing but shrugged it off as the girls flexing their powers again. But Andre wasn't so sure. He'd only felt a power this strong from his father. But this... spiritual force seemed familiar to him. Too familiar in fact... He turned around from his seat only to see the four girls resting and with a relieved sigh, he laid back and attempted to get some shut-eye.

The four girls weren't doing so well. Jade had been fighting off an urge that threatened to take over her. Her body had become engulfed in a purple and Green aura that nearly overtook her a couple of nights before. She was coated in beads of sweat and her breathing was shallow.

Cat Valentine was no better. For someone so small and energetic, she was scarfing down everything the flight attendants would give her and she was unusually lazy. Like Jade, she was engulfed in a blue and pink aura that weighed her down heavily. She was lucky that her race had extremely high metabolisms.

Tori felt horrible. While being a werewolf had its advantages, the problems outweighed those by a long shot. She had every form of animal instincts you could think of... including being in heat. Like her rivals, she too was experiencing changes that would shift her normal demeanor. When the changes started, she was surrounded by a rose red aura.

Trina was the exact same way except she was surrounded by a yellow aura. Her desire to be a better person slowly deteriorated and this new form of desire began to take her over causing her to revert at times to her former self. She was rude and only cared about what she wanted at that moment but as quickly as that feeling came, it would disappear without a trace.

The girls didn't know what was coming, but none would talk about it to the others. They were experiencing an illness that only comes when the balance between universal right and wrong is broken. Their powers running amuck. Their inability to control themselves. It was all leading to a disheartening revelation. Something was coming. More specifically, some things were coming and fast

Eventually, the plane landed and the gang made sure to grab all of their belongings and bags from baggage claim. Once that was complete they all caught cabs to the local ski resort. The girls took the first one and the guys took the second. Robbie and Beck were perfectly fine during the entire trip while Andre and Travis were still uncertain of what was going on. But Travis knew one thing. Whatever it was, he was going to get to the bottom of it...

* * *

After arriving at the resort and the gang settled in, the group dispersed to embark on their own adventures. Outside the cabin, Travis had managed to get some much needed alone time and was currently waiting on the ski lift with his snowboard hoping to shred the powder in peace. For the first time since enrolling at Hollywood Arts and the deaths of his mother and brother, and even with the knowledge of his now incarcerated father, Travis was calmed and relax. He even told Officer Lucille to hold onto the information she had acquired from James until he returned back to the states. He then decided that for once he was going to put his investigation on hold and let things ride the way they will. Unfortunately, that ride would soon crash into him as he stepped on the ski lift only to be bombarded by Tori, Cat, and Trina who were carrying their own respective sets of skis.

"Oh, hey Liam." Tori pushed some of her brown hair behind her ear while showing off her perfect cheekbones. "Didn't know I'd run into you here."

Trina and Cat took exception to this but sat down across from the two without protest. "You mean we?" they countered at exactly the same time.

"So... you like to snowboard?" Trina interrupted with a sly smile.

Liam, who was busy trying to calm his nerves, looked over at the buxom beauty and he could've sworn that there was a glint of seduction in her smile. "Yeah, it's something my older brother taught me before he passed away some months ago."

"Oh... I'm so sorry to hear that." Cat took this opportunity to flash him a sad smile showing that she understood his feelings.

Then Tori raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Wait, did you say a few months ago?"

"Yeah, he died mysteriously though... The doctors said he had what looked like dog bite marks on his left side near his ribs..."

Tori's eyes shot open in sheer terror.

"Then his eyes were covered in scales like a sea serpent or fish..."

Cat's smile slowly dropped into a deep frown as she gulped in guilt

"On his torso near his heart were hex or spell markings that traveled across his torso and back."

Trina felt a chill run down her spine and it wasn't because of the cold either.

"Lastly, the weirdest one of all..." Liam's eyes burned with fiery resentment. "...were two puncture wounds in his neck directly on his jugular vein."

The tension in the air could be cut with a knife as the trio came to a shocking realization.

"Well, it was never determined who or what killed him but he gave me this pendant and told me to only take it off if I needed to." He pulled out a bracelet with a green wolf claw pendant attached to it. The three tensed up but it wasn't noticeable to their potential love interest who stepped off the lift once it came to a halt. "See you three at the bottom!" He yelled out as he started his descent down the mountain slope. The trio watched on until Travis disappeared among the other boarders and skiers.

Exchanging another glance at one another, Tori finally swallowed the lump in her throat and opened her mouth.

"You know what this means, right?" Trina and Cat nodded.

* * *

Jade decided to stay inside the resort like cabin and wait until nightfall before making any moves on Travis. She was laying on her rather large bed humming 'Give It Up' when her rivals stormed into her room; each with a mortified expression etched on their faces but she didnt care. The only she cared about was the fact that three girls who she was in competition with for not only a guy's heart but very soul, were in her private room. Her lips curled into a near sadistic snarl exposing her fangs.

"What do YOU three want?" she sneered venom oozing through each word. "Don't tell you guys struck out this quickly, did you?" she then smirked at her joke.

Tori shook her head violently, fear threatening to spill out. "Jade, listen for one second! We are in major trouble!"

Normally Jade would've just flipped Tori off and went about her business but in one of her rare moments in life (or afterlife however you view it), she laughed. It wasn't a cheerful laugh but a cackle that caused Cat and Trina to cower behind one another.

"What do you mean in trouble?" the goth mocked her werewolf frenemy.

"For the last fucking time..." her canines now exposed. "I. Don't. Talk. Like. That!"

"Jade! Please, Tori's telling the truth!" the red-haired girl pleaded while trying to hold back tears. "Travis is spiritually sensitive... and not only that but-"

"So what? He can sense spiritual beings. What's so important about that?"

Finally, Trina had had enough.

"Dammit, Jade! We killed his brother!"

A bone-crunching silence began to set the room.

Jade's blue eyes stared at Trina's brown gates for what seemed like millenniums.

"What are you talking about?" she quietly asked. All three girls turned away as if trying to hide. "Tell me!" Jade ordered while trying to fight back tears of her own.

"Jade, his older brother was that spiritual bounty hunter..." Tori sat down in a chair near the window. "...And you were his target."

Jade remembered that night considering it only occurred a few months back during the summer. She remembered how they attacked him all at once and the emotional distress the vampire felt at the last moment when she bit him hoping to keep him as a slave but found that she was too late as she could still faintly hear his final breath.

"I loved you."

Those haunting words were what made Jade decide to stay inside the resort and wait until nightfall before making any moves on Liam. While she wouldn't admit it, there was something amiss about all of this and it was steadily growing into more of a problem which would only serve to complicate her master plan. She was laying on her rather large bed humming 'Give It Up' when her competitors stormed into her room; each with a mortified appearance etched on their faces but she didn't care. The only she cared about was the fact that three girls who she was in competition with for not only a guy's heart but his very soul, were in her private room. Her lips curled into a near sadistic scowl exposing her fangs.

Jade remembered that day as if it had just happened despite it being nearly 10 years ago.

"Jacob...?" Trina nodded.

Jade couldn't believe it... Cat finally let the tears flow while Tori just glared out of the window.

"Then this changes everything..." the goth girl finally spoke in her regular tone of voice. "No more is this about who gets his soul first as a game. This is a battle of our very lives. He cannot find out about this, not now, not ever..."

Tori turned back and looked at her rival in disbelief. "But Jade what if-"

"What if, nothing, Tori... We can't risk it..." Jade stood to her feet. "From now on, the one that gets him..." All the girls looked on in horror. Each of them knew what was coming. "...must convert him." The others looked on in a mix of horror and disgust. "I mean it. Now it makes sense why that man wanted Liam to kill us. He almost discovered our secret so we have no choice. He's too dangerous..."

"But Jade-"

 **"NO!"** she let out a boom. **"There is no in between with this. It's either we turn him to our side, or..."**

The trio could only look helplessly as Jade took an excruciatingly long pause.

"...Or we take him out..."

 _"I couldn't agree more..."_

Suddenly, each girl felt a searing, burning pain from within their bodies. Tori clutched her mouth as is trying not to vomit. Trina held her stomach while dropping to her knees. Cat began was the first to exhibit any clues as to what was happening as a blue and pink mist emitted from her body. Jade soon followed as purple and green mist swirled around her in a mini vortex forming. Tori was now on her back while two shades of red mist literally crawled out of her mouth. Finally, Trina was sitting against the wall as yellow mist finally stopped coming off of her body. The end results were a mirror effect. Standing in front of each girl was their worst nightmares.

Standing before Tori was herself but wearing a rose red top and blood red jogging pants. She had a sinister sneer as she bared her canines but then licked her lips seductively at the now defenseless brunette. Cat too was staring in the mirror as her counterpart sat on a desk across the room wearing blue and pink striped shirt with blue jean bottoms then jumped up and down giddily. Trina looked on weakly as her 'twin' sat down filing her nails while glaring deviously at her with the widest grin she could muster. Lastly Jade staggered to her feet as she gazed in complete terror at what stood before her. Her identical was sitting at the foot of her bed while licking her lips but then she got down on her knee's and crawled toward the goth who was trapped. As the distance closed between the two, the Jade with purple and green streaks in her raven hair smirked at her cowering original.

 _"Aw... Big and bad Jade here is feeling scared..."_ The figure boasted with so much pride. _"You're actually apologetic for once in your life."_

Jade's eyes shot open at the realization. "What is going on? You don't know me!"

The dominant Jade stood up letting her smirk enlarge.

 _"Silly girl, I know all about you... We know all about you."_ She flashed a glance over at the other three who were shaking just as bad as Jade. _"We know about your deeds, your sins... The contest, Raiding poor Travis's dreams for your own sexual purposes... And slowly but surely we were born."_

The other 'clones' stepped over the other goth who crossed her arms over her ample chest.

 _"I know about you, Tori. How you wish that Liam would just treat you like a girl and dominate you, unlike all the other men you dated. Deep down inside you want to be submitted by him. I know every kinky desire in that twisted little brain of yours. Including the urges to kill anyone who comes to take him away from you... but I will admit, you suppressed it for a long time, so I applaud you for withholding your wrath and lust."_ She mockingly clapped. _"I must say, I'm both surprised and impressed."_

Next up was 'Cat' who finally stopped bouncing.

 _"Oh Cat, how you only desired to have that hunk inside of you... I know you tell these girls how many men you've had but deep down you want to be treated like a woman, not a plaything. But you go along every day like some bimbo who doesn't know right from south hoping that one day you'll be treated like a human being. You're truly lazy but more so... You're a glutton for punishment."_ The fake Cat giggled while twiddling her hair.

Trina had huddled under her younger sister but it proved to no avail.

 _"Ah, Trina Vega, the bitch of a witch..."_ The yellow-clad girl stepped forward, filing her nails in the process. _"You tried so hard. You struggled every day to make yourself better than you really are. Nothing... Jade was right, NO ONE likes you! Not even that cash cow Travis who is loaded might I add. she winked. Why you might ask? Because simply put you are greedy. You never understood what anyone's worth was including your own. You were so caught up in fixing yourself to look better, you never truly saw anyone's true potential. Sinjin, Robbie... What's stopping you from ruining Travis's life with your avarice"_

Trina was sobbing quietly to herself.

 _"That leaves Jade, the mastermind behind all this."_ The goth stared as tears just fell down her cheeks. _"You were so full of yourself, you never did comprehend the extent of what you or your 'rivals' were doing. Toying with a guy's emotions? Treating him as if he was some prize? I know why you do it though... You envied him... You're a jealous little whore who uses her gift of beauty as a form of weapon that leads only to destruction. How many innocent men have you ruined? Free men with pure souls forever damned to be your slave or plaything whenever you see fit... What makes Travis any different? Your vanity is also your curse, Jade..."_

"Stop it please?" Jade whispered/pleaded as she curled into the fetal position. "Why are you doing this to us?"

The four looked at each other; exchanging evil smiles.

 _"Simple..."_ The clone of Tori gave a sinister smirk. _"We are your seven deadly sins... But, most importantly..."_

 _"We. Are. You."_ The four recite in concert.

* * *

 **Real World**

"Mother. How are things going with the two?"

The atmosphere in the room seemed to be settled until that question was asked. In truth, Celeste had been dreading every second that her son and one of her (hopefully) future daughters-in-law were in that fabricated world. After guiding them inside, she wasted little time in studying up on the created universe and the mystic item that bore it into existence.

"In truth child, I do not know. I've studied up through everything and yet, there's so many avenues and possibilities to take into account and yet, I still haven't been able to pinpoint anything." she shook her head slowly, feeling the cringe of the last several hours crashing down on her. "I'm failing him, Lucille..."

"No! You're doing the best that you can." her daughter knelt down beside her, hoping to snap the older woman out of her depressive funk. "It's not your fault that this is happening. The mind is just so vast and then you have multiple minds that make it difficult to master, especially when we don't have the actual book here with us."

"Wait!" Lucille suddenly flinched at her mother's sudden change in attitude. "Say that again, child."

"The mind is vast?"

"After that..."

"You have multiple minds?"

"Oh my, Pachamama! My daughter, you are a genius!" The sudden smile on her face was enough to warrant a confused stare from Lucille who now watched as her mother began rushing to one of the book shelves. One by one, she scanned her collection grabbing what looked to be random tomes of past research until she finally sat back down at in her comfy chair.

"What are you talking about, mama?"

"Why are we looking for every mind in this world when we have to look for the world inside of each mind?"

Then, realization began to settle in with Lucille as well, her lips stretching steadily as she began to understand the woman's revelation.

"So, you're saying that we should explore each mind to find them rather than just focusing on the world itself?"

"Exactly! If that book and its owner can alter this multiverse, then, he should be able to make multiple places to trap the minds and..."

Celeste's eyes began to widen, not only in understanding, but also from the dread of her discovery.

"What's wrong?"

"We must hurry," she announced in a hallowed tone of voice. "I sense a great danger coming..."

* * *

Meanwhile, just outside of the city limits, the one known as Mad Dog and his female accomplice stepped out of the terminal with their carry on bags in hand. The crowd at the airport wasn't as lively as expected, but they paid it no mind. Instead, they pushed forward until they exited the building only to be greeted by the pouring rain.

"Looks like a dreary day in New Orleans..." the young woman complained.

"Nonsense..." Mad Dog eyed the millions of raindrops as their ride pulled up. "This is the perfect greeting for our return to our family's native home. Don't you agree?"

Her response was a deep and passionate kiss that alarmed and, to some, disgusted any who might've been paying attention.

"You sure know how to find the good within the bad, don't you?" she tugged at his bottom lip before allowing him to answer.

"It's what you like about me, isn't it?"

As the cab pulled to a stop, he stepped out, willingly letting himself get soaked, and opened the back door for her. She pulled out her umbrella and wasted little time entering the vehicle. Soon, they were off to their next destination; a place known to them as the Bokor's Sanctuary.

"Indeed it is..."


	60. Chapter 55

**Disclaimer:**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.**

 **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

 **Meanwhile, just outside of the city limits, the one who is known as Mad Dog and his female accomplice stepped out of the terminal with their carry on bags in hand. The crowd at the airport wasn't as lively as expected, but they paid it no mind. Instead, they pushed forward until they exited the building only to be greeted by the pouring rain.**

 **"Looks like a dreary day in New Orleans..." the young woman complained.**

 **"Nonsense..." Mad Dog eyed the millions of raindrops as their ride pulled up. "This is the perfect greeting for our return to our family's native home. Don't you agree?"**

 **Her response was a deep and passionate kiss that alarmed and, to some, disgusted any who might've been paying attention.**

 **"You sure know how to find the good within the bad, don't you?" she tugged at his bottom lip before allowing him to answer.**

 **"It's what you like about me, isn't it?"**

 **As the cab pulled to a stop, he stepped out, willingly letting himself get soaked, and opened the back door for her. She pulled out her umbrella and wasted little time entering the vehicle. Soon, they were off to their next destination; a place known to them as the Bokor's Sanctuary.**

 **"Indeed it is..."**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 55: A Blessing  
**

Andre and Travis were in the lounge along with Beck and Robbie. Ever since day one, they had formed a brotherhood that couldn't be broken. Travis was truly grateful to have these guys helping him along the way. But each of them had a look of worry on their faces. A look that didn't go unnoticed to him.

"Guys? What's up?" he playfully nudged Beck who only sighed. "You act like the world's gonna end."

Andre looked up at his new friend with a forced smile. "Hey um..." He scratched the back of his head. "Dude, this is something we need to tell you..."

Beck nodded as did Robbie.

"What?" Now on his face was a look of pure curiosity.

Silence.

"Guy's?"

Nothing.

"Fellas"

Contemplation.

"Come on, just tell me!" He was upset by this point. "Whatever it is, just tell me."

After exchanging another glance at each other, the boys agreed that this was to be told.

"Look, we aren't exactly... normal so to speak," Andre muttered under his breath.

Liam raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?" he let out a nervous chuckle.

Suddenly three separate flashes caught him off guard causing him to shield his eyes. Once the lights dissipated, he put his arm down to see Andre with dark red/black wings on his back. Turning his head to the other side of his musically inclined friend was Robbie Shapiro who was fitted in a mages cloak and wizards hat complete with a staff around the back side. Finally, he turned to the spot across from himself to see Beck glowing and with Angel wings. All three of them were disappointed as they looked up seeing Travis's shocked expression.

"So you guys are-?"

"Spiritual beings..." they all said in unison.

"Well, this is-. This is..." they prepared for the worst. Andre knew that if he was rejected in this form by a human it meant being sent back to Hell. For Beck, it meant a one way trip to heaven. Robbie Shapiro knew that he would be banished to another dimension to avoid the ridicule from others. "This is awesome."

All three of them look in confusion as Travis laughed. Never before had a human, whether spiritually inclined or not, just outright laughed at them. After wiping his forehead and letting out a sigh of relief, Travis pulled up the sleeve along his right arm, revealing various symbols the started from the back of his hand to his elbow. Seeing something that they'd never noticed before, Andre quickly discerned the meaning behind each marking on the canvas that was his friend's arm.

"Dude, you're a descendant of bokors?"

"After doing some research, it seems that I am."

"This is amazing..." Robbie replied, studying them as if they were sacred treasures.

"I had a feeling you guys weren't human the day I met you." he chuckled. "Guys, this doesn't change the way I see you. You're my friends and more importantly, you've been like brothers to me. This appeared long before my brother was killed, and he made me promise not to reveal it for any reason until I got married or absolutely needed to. From that point on, I was able to see ghosts and spirits and by the following year I was seeing all sorts of creatures and communicating with them."

Andre flashed a small smile. "That that means we're all good?"

"Yep... I don't care about what you are, Dre. It's about who you are..."

The group took a sip of their hot chocolate (what? they aren't old enough to drink yet) when another curious question came to Travis's mind.

"By the way, what's the deal with the girls? and for that matter, where are they?"

Exchanging glances, the trio thought it best to lead Liam back to their room.

"We have a lot to explain..." Andre chuckled.

* * *

Tori snapped. Gone was her initial fear and worry. She was out for blood as she lunged at 'Jade'. At blinding speed, she threw the hardest punch she could muster. In her blind rage, she was able to feel her punch make contact, finally grinning for the first time since these clones had arrived.

 _"Are you done?"_

Honey brown shot open in shock as the voice of the apparition resembling Jade and from the sound of things, she was unaffected by the blow inflicted. She felt a connection but she opened her eyes to shockingly find that it wasn't her target. Instead, she was confronted by her deadly counterpart who now clutched her fist with a look of boredom mixed with disappointment.

 _"Tsk tsk... I thought we were better than cheap shots, Tori?"_ she shook her head before opening her now glowing eyes at the terrified werewolf. While she struggled to pull away, 'Tori' threw a punch of her own that connected with the brunette's jaw with a sickening thud sending her flying out of the window. Cat was about to attack but was instantly held down by her own counterpart who playfully taunted her. Trina was finally able to stand to her feet and made a mad dash for the window. She hopped over the balcony rail but was halted in mid-air from a dropkick courtesy of the 'other Trina' who watched in demented glee as her host landed shoulder first in the frigid snow.

 _"Ooooh! That has to hurt!"_ she hissed, mocking the very real pain coursing through the girl's body. _"Would the baby like a band-aid for her boo-boo?"_

"Laugh all you want, creature..."

Gritting her teeth, she took in her surroundings then made a mad dash towards the open woods in hopes of avoiding causing any significant damage to the resort. As expected, the constructed copy followed in hot pursuit, eager to annihilate her foe. Various elemental attacks began to pour in around the older Vega sibling as she raced desperately into the woods, narrowly managing to escape through the trees.

 _"Running away,"_ The duplicate rolled her eyes before flying into the depths herself. _"Only serving to delay the inevitable..."_

While this was happening, both Tori and Cat seemed to have the same idea as they were both deep within the heart of the wooded area, standing back to back whilst avoiding the supernatural assault being inflicted on them.

While the two versions of Tori had to combat physical ferocity, Cat and her double were more comfortable with utilizing the elemental magic afforded to them. As they both produced a bow constructed from the very snow, both of the red-haired girls began firing arrows of pure air at an alarming rate. However, it appeared that they were both at a stalemate as with a slight side-step, neither was able to hit their target.

 _"I must say that you're a lot more formidable than I gave you credit for, idiot."_

"Coming from a carbon copy of me," Cat steadied her aim, firing just a few inches away from where the duplicate was about to step, watching as the wind construct managed to the just miss the shoulder, instead, just grazing enough to leave a staggering wound. "I'll take the compliment."

Only a few feet away, two highly destructive werewolves now scratched and clawed at one another, each hoping to maim the other.

Crimson plasma mixed with mahogany fur as the growls and hisses echoed within the dark forest. With only the faded rays scattered throughout the sea of trees, golden rings glared at its mirrored shade with two conflicting defining emotions behind them. In one pair, a deep seeded hatred that fueled the Latina's desire to destroy and protect. In the other, a condescending glare fueled with a taunting tone, almost as if it was feeding off of the negativity from her original.

 _"Come on, Tori... Why don't you just give him up and let me claim him?"_ Surprisingly, she didn't take the bait as she stood, her gaze coldly focused on the demented creature in front of her. The crisp air blew past with vigor, yet, not a single muscle shifted as she calculated her next move. A small trail of blood managed to fall in between her eyes, flowing down her muzzle but, her will seemed to never falter. _"I see... Guess there's no room for words?"_

Her response was a low growl resonating from her chest, signaling her clear answer.

What happened next, in that blinding second, all that was visible to the formerly warm honey orbs was the similar shade of brown fur eclipsing her view.

* * *

"Okay so let me get this straight," Liam was now pacing the room, while the trio watched him do so. "Jade's a Vampire. Cat's some type of elemental siren? Trina is a Sorceress while Tori is a werewolf?" the guys nodded for the 17th time in the past hour. "And they were competing to see who would get to claim me to their race?"

"Yepperooni." Robbie got up to put his hand on Travis's shoulder.

"Wow I never imagined I'd be so popular..." he fell back on the bed, huffing in a mix of frustration and disbelief.

Andre inhaled then sat next to his buddy. "But remember, that was at the beginning... Now they're actually competing to see who you will choose to love. Considering you feel that way about any of them."

Travis brushed his hair back looking at his friends. He had to admit that despite the betrayal he felt pertaining to him being a prize, he internally admitted to himself that he did feel a high degree of feelings for the girls. Each of them exhibited a form of balance to his lifestyle. Although Jade had a bit of self-centeredness about her, his morals kept him safe as well as his initial kindness towards her. Trina although who was avaricious at times had generally gotten much better around him thanks to his giving nature. Cat Valentine was a complicated case. She could be giddy at one point but then lazy at the drop of a dime. But through his own diligence, he managed to see past all that. Finally, Tori who while beautiful and smart like the others, had a temper and sexual drive that would put most men to shame. His Abstinence and patience leveled her out and in his eyes stood a beautiful young woman.

But reality set in...

He had to choose one...

Shaking his head, he knew this would not be easy though...

 _I could be in love with four girls..._ He mentally slapped himself as he put his head in his hands.

"Look, we know that all of this info can be a bit overwhelming. You probably need a bit of time to process everything..."

A raised palm stopped Beck's attempt at reassurance.

"It's alright, man. While I appreciate the gesture, there's really nothing to process," he smirked softly. "With everything I've heard, I think I just need to rest and let everything set in my mind."

Both Beck and Robbie exchanged questionable glances but, understood the meaning behind the statement; This conversation was over, at least for now.

"No problem, Liam," Robbie adjusted his glasses before getting up to go, Beck following closely behind, stopping only to spare a sympathetic look at the two remaining in the room.

"See you guy's in the morning?" both nodded silently, prompting him to do the same before shutting the door.

As the footsteps began to fade from the two boy's hearing, Andre swallowed the lump that'd been sitting in his throat ever since the subject was brought up. He was careful not to make any sudden movements, despite there being no sign of him needing to. In truth, he was just concerned for the state of his best friend after finding out about all of this.

Studying the demeanor of his buddy, Andre saw that while Liam was now lying comfortably on the bed, his aura was swirling with an edgy yet faint red that troubled the young demon.

"What?"

"Sorry, I'm just concerned about you?"

"There's no reason to be."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

"Liar..."

Liam then shot up from his spot with a challenging glare that, thankfully held no true malice. "And how would you-?"

"I'm a son of Satan, remember?"

He barely resisted the urge to face-palm, instead opting to let out a humorless chuckle.

"Oh yeah... I forgot about that."

"No problem... But, why don't you just tell me what's bugging you?" Andre shifted on his own bed, careful with his words. "If you're really freaked out about us being otherworldly being..."

"It's not that," he interrupted. "It's actually about something related to the girl's but..."

"You don't know how to react to it now?"

Scoffing softly, Liam mirrored his friend's actions, sitting up in a more comfortable position. "That another power of yours?"

"Nope, you're just easily readable," he chuckled as the human rolled his eyes in annoyance.

You are right though... As you know, before school started, I lost my brother due to an accident," Andre nodded, opting not to say a word. "Well, the details were never given. In truth, he was murdered by four people and..." he began to choke on his words, emerald orbs now fixated on the wool carpet beneath their feet. "It was clear that it was no ordinary attack."

He went on to explain the situation, starting with his brother disappearing at the mall roughly before meeting with Jade all the way to the point where he discovered the cause of death. As expected, the look on Andre's face came off as if he'd seen a ghost, further his understanding of the young man's plight. With more an more details emerging, it was somewhat clear who the culprits could be.

"So, you think that Jade and the other's might've had something to do with Jacob's passing?"

"It's possible... I mean, I doubt that you guys are the only supernatural beings around, but, the evidence makes it even more difficult to put it on anyone else. He ran away because he spotted Jade then Cat happened to be at the beach where he was murdered, although,"

"She was with you the entire time You said it yourself that when you woke up, she was in the exact same spot when you two woke up!"

"True, but what about the fish scales over his eyes?"

The demon boy took a moment to take in that inquiry when a sudden realization hit him. "Were they able to reveal anything during the autopsy pertaining to his eyes?" Liam shook his head, wondering where he was going with this. "In lore, sirens can actually cut off one's vision by coating it with scales*. This would prevent anyone from using any form of current technology to figure out what the victim saw for at least half a day."

"So, Cat's role may have just been to cover up the deed so the others couldn't be identified?"

Sadly, Andre let out a sigh of his own. "Unfortunately, but, at least this could put your mind at ease. I seriously doubt that she would take part in the actual act and probably only did to protect the girls. Either way, you could still say that she's guilty by proxy."

Expecting an even darker tone to set in over the atmosphere, both were surprised when a full-on grin rested on Liam's lips.

"Nah... I'll leave Cat out of this. Based off of what I've seen and experienced. She's not the type to enjoy harming others. Plus, your theory about her 'involvement' makes sense."

Sensing a darker tone flowing around them, Andre felt the all too familiar sensation of dread slithering around him once he attempted to open his mouth; a question clinging on the edge of his tongue in fear for what consequence it would incite upon leaving the proverbial cave from which it was summoned.

"What about the others?"

No response was given, rather the sound of sheets shuffling answered the musician's inquiry. Brown eyes watched as Liam slowly pulled the comforter over himself, shielding himself under the warmth of the thick cover. In his mind, so many ideas began to zoom in and out that he could swear that he could feel his heart beating through his skull. For starters, there was the matter of his father's incarceration due to the attack on the girls and while, he was relieved to have that abuser behind bars. Secondly, while it seemed his former guardian was correct in his claims against the four, he still couldn't bring himself to attack any of them, let alone kill. Even now, with the possible and sudden revelation, he couldn't bring himself to entertain the idea.

Lastly, there was this revelation of being used as a prize for some contest of love... or lust... or... conversion?

How could they go about treating him as if he were a piece of meat like this?

Whatever their reasons, he still felt a sharp pang in his stomach that caused him to clamp his eyes shut, fruitlessly attempting to clear his mind until slumber took over.

Slowly, his lips curled into a resentful grin as he felt himself transitioning into his long sought after slumber. 'Some vacation...'

* * *

The remainder of the trip passed by with minimum issues for the gang. For the girls, their battle ended in a stalemate; the end result being the imitations were forced to remain imprisoned within their respective hosts, leaving them all still weakened from the incident. With all of that taken care of, they all agreed to stay on their best behavior until after they returned home.

Finally, that day arrived and the gang was all too eager to head back to their homes.

There was only one minute detail that managed to embed itself deep inside their cores:

Liam.

Every chance they could, one or more of them would spare a glance at their troubled crush; each witnessing the same result of him aimlessly staring out of the window with that blank stare that worried them. This went on for the vast majority of the flight back with the only exceptions being when he got up to use the bathroom, eat, or when he spared a moment to conversate with Andre who was currently sleeping with his headphones over his ears.

It was Jade and Tori who spared a glance from their respective seats when he happened to turn his gaze, catching them.

Just a moment...

That all they got before green orbs returned to the clear starry scene, but not before flashing a small grin, hoping that it would quell the concern he picked up from the duo.

It didn't...

* * *

 **Real World**

"Would you mind telling me what we're doing here?" The sultry sounds of irritation echoed within the abyss as she and her partner traversed the length of a long corridor.

"It is the remains of the old coven ran by someone who almost succeeded in taking out my young naive master. It's a shame that she left without sharing any of her secrets." he let that last part trail off into the dimly lit hall, thanking his stars that the young woman missed it, sparing him from having to explain it any further. "Although, I trust that destiny will smile on me?"

Scrunching her nose, the young woman raised an eyebrow, marveling at the ancient marking that adorned their path before returning to the conversation.

"Speaking of destiny, why is killing this person so important to you um..."

"Tommy..." he interrupted, sensing her ever-growing curiosity at wanting to know him as more than his gang-affiliated nickname. "To answer your question, I learned that in my past, well, in another life, my ancestors came to be under the tutelage of master Liam or rather, young Alexandre. He was a former slave who was given his freedom after helping my family locate and uncover this very book." With each breath, his words grew darker in tone, almost as if exuding a demonic force that wrapped around him like a serpent. "However, fate chose to smile on that man rather than my own family."

"What do you mean?"

"Not yet, love..." he stopped at a mysterious door, studying and analyzing the ancient language that was meant to be impossible for your average human to decipher. Just as the young woman was about to inquire further, she was stopped by the rumbling of the door opening. "There's more to this story that has yet to be written."

* * *

 **Liam & Jade**

After arriving back in town, Liam decided to catch a cab back home rather than accept a ride with the others. Not sitting well with a certain goth, she forced her way into the car, using the excuse that she lived near him and that it would be better than having the others take her. Even though this didn't sit well with Liam, he did little to fight her on this, a clear indication of the awkwardness between them. In truth, that was only partially true as he did go to his lavish home only to start walking in the opposite direction once the vehicle pulled off and turned the corner. Once he was sure that enough time had passed, he proceeded the long walk to the place he called his real home only to get caught by a sudden burst of rain, though he thankfully had his hoodie to shield him from the icy drops.

Needless to say, this didn't fool Jade one bit, who exited the cab shortly after it disappeared from his sight; although this resulted in her getting soaked by the rain as well. This didn't sway her determination in following the boy, ironically proving to strengthen Jade's resolve as she wondered with every step: Where was he going?

Now, a dripping wet Jade sat on her best friends bed; her legs crossed and her arms mirroring the action.

She was dressed in nothing but one of her crush's pokemon tee's when he walked in wearing nothing but a towel.

"Aaahh! Jade! I thought the cab dropped you off at home?" he questioned before noticing what she was wearing.

She smirked deviously as her eyes traveled up and down his exposed and dripping chest.

"You did, but I got into an argument with 'daddy dearest' and ended up walking here." she shrugged afterward.

Liam wasn't entirely convinced; There was another reason Jade ever appears in his place of residence.

"You never went home, huh?" he looked stern but his gaze was still soft enough to avoid giving off legitimate anger. "Or, you were seriously worried that you took to breaking into my place."

"Fine," she huffed, not enjoying being interrogated at the moment. "I've been worried about you ever since we boarded on the plane."

A part of him was actually flattered at the confession but, it wouldn't be enough for him to drop his own resolve.

"Really? Here, I thought that you and the others just enjoyed staring at me like I was a piece of meat..."

"What?!" she sat up immediately from her spot on the bed, none too pleased at his joke. "You know what? Maybe I should just leave..."

"Jade..."

"No! If you want to be an ass then, whatever..."

As she got up, he caught an eye full of her still wet ivory skin.

Between him and the towel, and her in nothing but his (thankfully) long shirt, he was surely thinking horrible thoughts but pushed them away when she hugged him tightly. Just a few seconds ago, she'd threatened to just leave out and venture home in the cold rain. None of that mattered though, as he could feel her ragged breathing signaling that she was silently sobbing into his chest. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her smaller frame and held her while traveling towards his bed.

It didn't take long for her to feel the weight of jet lag hit her in full force as the last thing she remembered was something warm engulf her; suddenly a wave hit her mind upon hearing something that would play a huge role in their lives moving forward.

"Goodnight, monster..."

* * *

 **The Next Morning**

The morning came sooner than anyone expected, though it was still gloomy for a Saturday leaving only the faint glow of the rare thin cloud to give off any form of light through the curtain. Azure orbs fluttered open, blinking away the unpreparedness of the previous night.

Speaking of the previous night, Jade's mind suddenly remembered where she was. Her eyes instantly began scanning her surroundings, taking in every inch of the small bedroom when one detail became apparent:

Liam was nowhere to be found.

She slowly dragged herself from her comfortable position, smacking her lips in the process when the person of interest arrived through the door. In his hand sat a tray of food that didn't go unnoticed by the girl's stomach as it let out a very unattractive growl in delight of the tasty dish being sat in front of her.

"Eat up!" he chuckled at the sight of her mouth watering. "Or would you prefer to just stare at it?"

"Haha... very funny." she groaned in between bites only to wind up spitting out the eggs. "What the hell?!"

"So, it's true?" his words rang in her ears only there was something completely off about his tone of voice.

Emotionless.

"Why would you put garlic in this?" she muttered, wiping her still stinging tongue.

"How long, Jade?"

She turned to him, seeing only a demonic gaze that could rival her own; this wasn't the guy she knew at all.

"Liam, what are you talking about?"

"Don't lie to me!" he seethed, gritted teeth signaling his lack of patience.

"I-I'm not lying! I don't know what you're talking about!" she tried to reason with him to no avail.

"Wanna bet?"

The extra emphasis was enough to make her eyes shoot open in complete and utter shock. He knew about the bet; he had to. But there was something even more important that crossed her mind. She lowered her head, no longer feeling able to look into those now dull emeralds, instead choosing to stare at the gentle sheets that engulfed her lower half.

"Who told you?" she whispered.

"It doesn't matter..." he quipped, not willing to back down as his emotions began to bubble to the surface. "You've been playing with me. You all have! Do you think that this was clever?! Or did you actually think claiming my soul was a true game?"

"Who told you?!" she roared, sending a sudden chill throughout the room.

By now, whatever advantage Liam had begun to fade into obscurity as the severity of his knowledge suddenly hit him square in the face. His body started to shiver, either from the cold or the sheer fear for the girl sitting in his bed.

Wait...

Jade wasn't in the bed; at least not anymore.

Not wanting to be taken without a fight, he pulled out a hunter's knife only to have it smacked from his hand in the very second that it took to pull it out.

 _"Am I a child that you dare use mere toys on me, human?!"_

Throwing a punch, Jade simply tilted her head to the side, expertly avoiding the blow.

Several more attempt resulted in the same outcome.

He wouldn't give up though, instead, he opted to do the only thing that felt intelligent.

RUN!

He darted for the door but, standing in front of him was the very image of the now deviously smirking vampire girl.

 _"Going somewhere?"_ her chilly tone, froze his blood.

This gave her all the opening needed to land a straight palm to his sternum, sending him crashing over the foot of the bed and into the nightstand. To make matters worse, a small but heavy paperweight landed on top of his head, causing some minor damage including disorientation.

After that, he tried to open his eyes and regretted that idea.

What he saw were not duel pools of blue but bloody portals glaring back at him. It was as if he had locked eyes with Medusa herself as he soon noticed that he was unable to move any of his limbs after being caught in her petrifying gaze. Though he wasn't turned to stone, it had the same effect.

 _"Now, I get to enjoy my real meal in peace,"_ she licked her lips, lightly grazing the fangs now protruding. _"You put up a decent fight, but, now you get to be the latest in my collection."_

"So, that's it?" he managed to get out. "I was just a prize to you, huh? What about the others?"

For the first time, Jade frowned at his questions.

"No," she rolled her eyes. "Contrary to what you may believe, we all went into this with full intentions of you falling for one of us. However, now that you know what's going on, there's no need to play fair. One of them broke the rule and now I can claim you how I see fit."

Taking control of the situation once more, she grabbed a fist full of his locs and roughly tilted his head to the left, giving her a clear view of her target. A single vein managed to stick out from his frustrating attempt, increasing her desire to feast on his delectable blood. All she needed to do was dive in and sink her teeth into his flesh.

No.

First, she needed to sample the product; she was a princess after all.

She chose to trace her tongue over the designated area, savoring the mild flavor that seemed to come from his pores. He tasted better than she imagined he would, a fact that would make her hunger insatiable by this point. Next, she leaned in again, this time grazing a single fang over the vein with just enough force to puncture the flesh watching as a drop of plasma appeared.

"The guys..."

 _"Huh?"_

"Andre. Beck. Robbie," he stuttered, no doubt from his fruitless attempts at breaking this hypnotic spell. "T-they were the ones who told me..."

If horror was the appropriate word, it still wouldn't properly explain the instant feeling that welled up within Jade.

 _"No. You're... you're lying..."_

"Either way, I now know you for what you really are?"

This had gone on long enough for Jade, who'd had more than her fill of the preliminaries at this point. The inner voice of her inner demon howled in her mind.

 _Kill._

 _Eat him._

 _Satisfy your craving._

 _Devour his soul and claim him for yourself._

 _He belongs to us._

She lunged at him, eager to fill her belly with the dark liquid; he was hers nobody else's and this would solidify this."

"...a monster."

Silence.

By now, he was staring off, not even bothering to look at her. In his heart, he was prepared to join his brother and his mother when Jade stopped her advance.

"What did you just call me?"

He smiled bitterly, disbelieving of the events unfolding before him. "You heard me, monster..."

Burgundy orbs flickered with pain and anguish as the name she'd been given sunk in. How could something as mediocre as a name cause so much suffering? This was a common title given to creatures that weren't normally within human comprehension and yet, this human's words managed to pierce through her tough exterior. Silently she screamed as she clutched her skull tightly, hoping futilely to rid herself of whatever was ailing her.

* * *

"What the-?"

Dark.

Pitch black.

Creepy.

Evil...

Jade heard a sinister chuckle come from the far end of the room. When her eyes finally adjusted, she noticed a feminine figure sitting on a throne smirking deviously.

"Who are you?! Show yourself!" she yelled with venom.

The figure obliged keeping her grin then took a few steps forward. She stopped midway and snapped her fingers revealing her identity.

 _"I'm you..."_

There was no doubt, that this creature was Jade.

The Raven colored hair with green highlights, the ivory pale skin, the borderline sadistic smirk on her lips. Jade was looking in the mirror.

Though I don't know what's going on, so can you fill me in?"

 _"It's simple... Only one of us can live while the other will remain here for all eternity..."_

Before Jade could react, she felt chain wrap around her wrists and ankles. Struggling with all her might, she felt miles and miles of chains wrap around her body. She couldn't move, she tried to scream but found the ability lacking. No sound would come out. This 'other' Jade simply stood there with her hand on her hip laughing at her plight.

 _"It's a shame really,"_ 'Jade' lifted her chin. _"I remember when you and I used to be one. I protected you, kept you safe from the pain of others and still, you failed as a host. You're pathetic..."_

Finally, Jade was granted the privilege of screaming in agony.

Jade felt tear threatening to erupt but pushed them back as best she could. The only thing that ran through her mind was her friends who tried to help. Robbie, who continued to be kind to her despite her gankiness. Cat, who treated Jade like a sister even though she only considered her a pet at best. Tori, who did so much for her despite every mean and evil thing she did to her or attempted to do as well. Even Beck, her ex, who treated her with respect and dignity and looked past her rough shell... Then there was...

 _"I wonder if Liam will like the new 'me'!"_ 'Jade' snickered to herself.

Suddenly, the screaming stopped. Silence...

'Jade's' maniacal cackling subsided as well as she observed Jade who was now motionless. The only sound heard was the clopping of 'her' boots that echoed throughout the room as 'Jade' checked closely at her former host.

"That name..." 'Jade' fell to the ground in shock. "...You said his name..."

Slowly, the chains began to unravel themselves from around her torso.

"Liam? You would hurt... Liam?!"

The room became cold as 'Jade' tried desperately to stand only to fall back on her butt. She looked down to see that the floor was covered in ice. Her body trembled from a mix of chills but mostly from the inner horror that was pouring out.

 _"Wha- What are you doing?!"_ she was now truly terrified and rightfully so.

Jade. The real Jade glared with HER devious smirk.

Her icy blue eyes flashed with anger and vengeance.

"You will NOT hurt him... Not now, NOT EVER!" Jade ripped the chains off like string over a flame. "He is mine..."

Out of nowhere, the entity was now constricted by the very chains that held her 'host'. Wide-eyed and petrified, she was now the one in agony.

 _"Jade! Please! We were so great as a team! I am you!"_

Jade only snapped her fingers, releasing a torrent of iced spikes that impaled her false self in all directions. Instead of blood, there was the sanguine smoke that poured out from the body of the creature until she herself began to fade away into nothingness.

"But, I'm his..." she replied curtly.

Then before she could catch her breath...

"Jade?"

...She was engulfed in light once again...

* * *

"Jade? Wake up!" Liam yelled in despair as his body lingered over Jade's seemingly comatose frame. "Please!"

Then her eyes flickered open.

The first thing she saw was that smile.

His smile.

"You're alive..." she whispered placing her hand on his cheek. Unfortunately, it seemed that her feather-like touch was enough to elicit a flinch from the boy. "You're hurt!"

As tears began to pool in the corners of her eyes, she was greeted with a soft laugh.

"It's nothing," he pushed back some of her hair that was hiding her ivory features. "I'll manage with these scratches and bruises. It's actually mild compared to what we've done back in the outside world, remember?"

"You remember that?" she gasped, suddenly realizing something. "You mentioned the outside world just now."

"Yeah, and I'd like to get back there in one piece, hopefully soon."

She sat up and planted her lips across his, letting out all of her emotions to which he reciprocated with equal vigor.

Minutes passed of nothing but passionate kissing, both vying for dominance in their oral war. When the need for oxygen became too much to ignore, Jade was surprised to find that he was truly tripped out, though it did little to stop her from smiling and hugging him for dear life. With their memories restored, it was only a matter of time before they got back to business.

"But, I do have one question."

"Go ahead..." Jade blushed (Yes she blushed) then kissed Liam's cheek.

"Let's just say you saved me from a beautiful nightmare Tiger..."

Not sure what to make of her words, he decided to ask another question.

"Want to spend the night?" he whispered receiving a nod and a few sniffs in response. He was the only one who truly saw Jade's 'weak' side as she put it and he loved her for it.

That's right he loved her...

Always have.

Always will.

"let me get some clothes on and we can watch your favorite movies until you fall asleep okay?"

Again she nodded and whimpered like a toddler who had just finished with her tantrum which brought a smile to Travis's face. He stood to his feet and went to the DVD player making sure to grab "Drag Me to Hell" first since Jade usually fell asleep while watching horror flicks for some reason. After putting the disk in the machine, he left the room only to return wearing his signature no sleeve black/red basketball shirt that seemingly melded to his body and a pair of red jogging pants. Jade blushed upon seeing him clothed but managed to keep her dirty thoughts in check.

For now...

"Oh, by the way, nice tattoo on your back," she muttered in her all too familiar voice.

Liam's head shot up.

He totally forgot that Jade could see his wolf pack tattoo. The four wolves adorned on his back were true testaments to his family. The one that caught Jade's eyes though... That was rather peculiar... He hoped that she wouldn't notice it.

"I noticed that one has blue eyes..." she mentioned pointing to the one wolf head that peaked from under his shirt. "...what does that represent?"

Liam sighed and looked ahead trying to avoid Jade's impending gaze. He could tell even without looking directly at her that she wasn't going to let this go...

"It represents you... the blue eyes mean that that individual is unique and that although nobody else sees it, I care for that person the most." he slowly felt his heart rate slow down and sighed from relief.

"Sounds kinda lame if you ask me..." he heard her say, yet he could still detect the playfulness in her voice.

Smiling he laid down after closing the curtains leaving the television as the only source of light in the room. With a click of the remote, the television too was now off, plunging the room in a faint glow from the gloomy weather outside. The next thing he felt was Jade scootching under him grabbing his arm to put it around her. They never did get a chance to watch the movie though as it was clear that both were too exhausted from their ordeal to do the activity.

"I guess we really are in this for the long haul, huh?" he pulled the covers over their tired bodies, each snuggling as close as they could.

"You're not ditching me that easily tonight..." he heard her whisper before drifting off to sleep, a smile gracefully growing when she felt something soft tickle her forehead.

"I wouldn't dream of it, my monster."


	61. Chapter 56

**Disclaimer:**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.**

 **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

 **"You're alive..." she whispered placing her hand on his cheek. Unfortunately, it seemed that her feather-like touch was enough to elicit a flinch from the boy. "You're hurt!"**

 **As tears began to pool in the corners of her eyes, she was greeted with a soft laugh.**

 **"It's nothing," he pushed back some of her hair that was hiding her ivory features. "I'll manage with these scratches and bruises. It's actually mild compared to what we've done back in the outside world, remember?"**

 **"You remember that?" she gasped, suddenly realizing something. "You mentioned the outside world just now."**

 **"Yeah, and I'd like to get back there in one piece, hopefully soon."**

 **She sat up and planted her lips across his, letting out all of her emotions to which he reciprocated with equal vigor.**

 **Minutes passed of nothing but passionate kissing, both vying for dominance in their oral war. When the need for oxygen became too much to ignore, Jade was surprised to find that he was truly tripped out, though it did little to stop her from smiling and hugging him for dear life. With their memories restored, it was only a matter of time before they got back to business.**

 **"But, I do have one question."**

 **"Go ahead..." Jade blushed (Yes she blushed) then kissed Liam's cheek.**

 **"Let's just say you saved me from a beautiful nightmare Tiger..."**

 **Not sure what to make of her words, he decided to ask another question.**

 **"Want to spend the night?" he whispered receiving a nod and a few sniffs in response. He was the only one who truly saw Jade's 'weak' side as she put it and he loved her for it.**

 **That's right he loved her...**

 **Always have.**

 **Always will.**

 **"let me get some clothes on and we can watch your favorite movies until you fall asleep okay?"**

 **Again she nodded and whimpered like a toddler who had just finished with her tantrum which brought a smile to Travis's face. He stood to his feet and went to the DVD player making sure to grab "Drag Me to Hell" first since Jade usually fell asleep while watching horror flicks for some reason. After putting the disk in the machine, he left the room only to return wearing his signature no sleeve black/red basketball shirt that seemingly melded to his body and a pair of red jogging pants. Jade blushed upon seeing him clothed but managed to keep her dirty thoughts in check.**

 **For now...**

 **"Oh, by the way, nice tattoo on your back," she muttered in her all too familiar voice.**

 **Liam's head shot up.**

 **He totally forgot that Jade could see his wolf pack tattoo. The four wolves adorned on his back were true testaments to his family. The one that caught Jade's eyes though... That was rather peculiar... He hoped that she wouldn't notice it.**

 **"I noticed that one has blue eyes..." she mentioned pointing to the one wolf head that peaked from under his shirt. "...what does that represent?"**

 **Liam sighed and looked ahead trying to avoid Jade's impending gaze. He could tell even without looking directly at her that she wasn't going to let this go...**

 **"It represents you... the blue eyes mean that that individual is unique and that although nobody else sees it, I care for that person the most." he slowly felt his heart rate slow down and sighed from relief.**

 **"Sounds kinda lame if you ask me..." he heard her say, yet he could still detect the playfulness in her voice.**

 **Smiling he laid down after closing the curtains leaving the television as the only source of light in the room. With a click of the remote, the television too was now off, plunging the room in a faint glow from the gloomy weather outside. The next thing he felt was Jade scootching under him grabbing his arm to put it around her. They never did get a chance to watch the movie though as it was clear that both were too exhausted from their ordeal to do the activity.**

 **"I guess we really are in this for the long haul, huh?" he pulled the covers over their tired bodies, each snuggling as close as they could.**

 **"You're not ditching me that easily tonight..." he heard her whisper before drifting off to sleep, a smile gracefully growing when she felt something soft tickle her forehead.**

 **"I wouldn't dream of it, my monster."**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 56: Savage Love  
**

"We're just ordinary people..." The music flowed out like a peaceful stream alongside the passing melody. "...We don't know which way to go..."

"My my..." Liam jumped at the sound of Andre's smug tone echoing throughout the theatre. "...I had no idea that big bad Liam had a soft side."

A scowl etched its way onto his face before shifting into a gentle smirk.

"Yeah? And what of it, huh?"

Andre threw his hands up in mock surrender. "Nothing. I'm just curious about what would a certain goth think if she knew you were into John Legend music?" he playfully teased earning a punch to his arm from a slightly annoyed Liam.

"She'd think that it's a nice change of pace..." a familiar voice rang from behind the stage curtain, causing a sudden chill to freeze the boys in their tracks knowing who the owner of that voice was.

"J-Jade?"

Slowly, the vampire stepped out from behind her cover, an extra sway in her hips as she approached him.

"I knew you were lying about 'rehearsing' the new Fireflight song, so I snuck and followed you here and decided to catch a sneak preview of your little..." she batted her eyes as she now was invading his personal space. "...concert," she whispered.

Then her eyes flash with a little anger.

"But don't ever lie to me again understand or else..."

He backed away slowly as his eyes saw the traces of Jade's hand make its way to her belt where she kept a pair of extra sharp scissors. As if on instinct alone he darted out of the theatre with Jade on his heels. Without the duo's presence, Andre Harris was left with only his thoughts; a small smile began to surface at the idea of a certain red-haired girl before he shook it off from the shock of realization.

The strangest thing about it though?

Andre felt a familiar warmth welling up inside of him before pushing the image of the energetic girl back down into the recesses of his brain.

He enjoyed it.

"Where'd that come from?"

* * *

The halls were empty save for a few random students who were trying to enjoy their free period when a certain goth waltzed by with a focused look behind those azure orbs. After leaving the black box, she was both impressed and annoyed that her boyfriend, or rather crush in this world, had managed not to only evade her but, now he was nowhere to be found.

"Dammit..." she grumbled, ignoring the fearful gazes of those around her. "Even in another dimension, he's still able to disappear so easily. I must be getting rusty at this game."

After that last statement, she couldn't help but chuckle in amusement until she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.

Instinctively, she grabbed it before twisting her body and flipping the poor soul onto their back. To her surprise, it was none other than the object of her affection who rested on his back groaning from landing on his butt. "Ow..."

"Liam?!" she cursed her panicked tone as she immediately helped him up. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah... the only thing that's bruised is my pride."

"Well, it could stand to be taken down a peg," she giggled at him while he rubbed his sore backside. "I thought you knew better than to sneak up on me."

Rolling his eyes, he failed to hide the scarlet tint that burned on his cheeks. "Yeah, well... I guess I missed that memo. You didn't have a problem with it the other night," he stopped abruptly when an ivory hand clapped over his mouth.

"Shush..." her eyes now glowed red with warning. "Remember, we aren't a couple in this world yet."

"Oh right... It would be a shame if our cover were blown, wouldn't it?"

By now, Jade had averted her gaze, choosing instead to focus on the tile beneath her feet. "True. Although, I do miss being able to show our feelings in public. I really wish this 'competition' never happened. I want things to be back to the way they were before..."

Then it happened.

Liam kissed her...

Liam, Jade's love and crush, currently had his lips on hers.

Jade stood there frozen in place as her lips were pressed against her beloved's. She didn't know how to react due to the sparks welling up inside her. He had just pulled away and his brown cheeks were already a slight pink. His heart was pounding under his ribcage as he tried to read the goths face.

"Y-you. Just kissed m-me..." she pressed her ivory fingers to her lips, still feeling the obvious tingling. Her usually icy gaze was now naturally unreadable which only made Liam even more nervous than before.

"Jade I- I didn't mean to. I just-"

He couldn't complete his apology because now it was Jade West who literally leaped into his arms and crashed her lips into his. Liam expertly caught her but that didn't mean he was prepared for this. He had loved his gothic best friend since the moment they met but he kept his feelings in check so that he wouldn't ruin the awesome friendship they had established. His body was on auto-pilot now as he stroked her back lovingly and returned the kiss with even greater force than the first time. The only thing that could ruin this moment was the sudden reality of their surroundings once again entering their minds.

The silence was tense, the moment was now over, and the awkwardness began to well up within the two souls.

After a few more moments, Jade finally regained enough of her composure to speak.

"I see you couldn't resist, huh?" she tried to sound angry but, there was a certain lack of conviction that didn't go unnoticed by Liam.

"You're not so innocent yourself!" he teased with a smug grin. "You're the one who leaped into my arms."

"What were you thinking?" she pushed him playfully, thanking the heavens that her dark strands hid her own flushed cheeks. "What if we got caught?"

"I love to live dangerously?" he shrugged, though grateful for his hair hiding his blush.

"I see..." She droned, rolling her crystals in the process.

"I'm sorry. We're here on a mission to rescue our friends and we're goofing off..."

"Well, a little distraction now and again doesn't hurt."

Liam couldn't help but laugh softly at her response. "So, I'm a distraction now?"

Instead of an immediate reply, Jade simply waltzed passed by him, caressing the scruff of hair that sat on his chin.

"Whatever you want us to be, Tiger..." he could see the twinkle in her eyes and the genuine grin form on her lips. "...How about we crash at your place tonight and then we can... strategize later." she turned to wink, staring at his soft lips and headed down the hallway just as the bell rang. "I have advanced dance this period then I'll see you at my house so you can pick me up."

"It's a date." he bit his lip softly until she disappeared behind the sea of students before heading to his locker.

Unseen from within the multitude, a pair of honey brown eyes glaring daggers at the back of a certain goth.

"Damn vampire..."

* * *

During the night, Liam had finally pulled up to the West's Manor after work. He always hated coming here... No, it wasn't because the family was rich. It wasn't even because the family disliked his style of clothing. (Although he is a respectable gentleman outside of his friends.) No, it was because he was deemed unacceptable because he didn't have what they had.

He didn't own a Bentley, nor did he have a vacation home in Hawaii. But all of that could and would be explained tonight and probably much sooner when he heard the slamming of the front door to the mansion. An irate Jade was stomping towards his Green and Black Mustang with some suitcases and a newly founded fury. He didn't know whether to let it ride or prod her for answers. She quickly entered the vehicle and instructed him to drive off.

It didn't take long for them to reach his apartment; he did stay only a few blocks away from the lavish home. He unpacked her things quickly, hoping to find out what made her so mad. Once everything was put away, he turned to ask her what was going on when she crashed her lips onto his in intense passion. Falling back, it took everything in him not to claim her right then and there. He flipped her over and reluctantly stood up with his arms folded.

"Alright... Talk." he sternly asked.

In the midst of her bedroom eyes, his face never changed from its grim stare. She wanted to give him an 'I don't know what you're talking about' face but knew that he wasn't buying it. She let out a soft breath then sat up and her true feelings began to pour out.

"Look, my dad was upset at me about us hanging out..." she casually stated. "...He said you were worse than Beck and that I deserved a man who's can afford to live anywhere other than a two-bit shack on the other side of town. He threatened to take away my trust fund and kick me out of the house."

Liam knew what this was doing to her. She cared about him so much yet never knew the extent that she felt about him.

"Is it because I'm... black?"

"No..." she huffed, though she did little to resist the urge to smirk as her lips twitched. "It's because you're human, remember?"

"Right..."

"Anyway, I told him to take his trust fund and shove it up his ass."

Liam's jaw dropped at what he had just heard. He never thought that Jade would give up her plushy lifestyle for...this... Even with them being in a world that wasn't there, he was still surprised to see Jade choose him over such a wonderful lifestyle. It was enough to make his heart skip a beat.

"Jade, I have no idea what goes on in your head." was all he could get out before she herself stood to her feet as dropped her skirt combo onto his bedroom floor. With a playful snarl, she twirled her green streak and bit her bottom lip in lust.

"Maybe you can find out..."

Removing his shirt, she placed kisses onto his chest and traveled down to his well-crafted abs. She then placed her lips onto his wrapping her arms around his neck. When he placed his hands on her side she felt... right. She felt for the first time in her life, truly perfect...

Then, a steady stream of knocks forced the pair to jump.

"Liam?" A light voice, one filled with concern and intrigue pulled the couple from their personal time together. "Are you there?"

"Tori?" his eyes bugged out in complete shock.

Two bodies shuffled from off of the bed, each aiming to address a particular issue. For Liam, he needed to get dressed once more so that he could at look decent once he answered the door. "Just a minute!" he called out while hopping into a pair of grey sweatpants and a thin black sleeveless hoodie.

Meanwhile, Jade was busy throwing on her clothes as well for when Liam did let Tori inside. To be honest, she wasn't too thrilled about her former (or current in this world) rival being there but, her heart told her that this could potentially lead to the right thing. It was evident that she was willing to play by the rules of whatever timeline she was experiencing yet, she still wished that she could've had enough time to enjoy the solitude she shared with her boyfriend.

Still, it wouldn't be fair to not at least give Tori the opportunity to regain what she too had recently been missing until that moment where she nearly killed Liam; a constant that still inhabited her memories. Something else that bothered her was the foretelling back in New Orleans.

Her destiny with Liam.

While he went to answer the door, she was reminded of that night where the old lady, who she remembered would be figured out to be his aunt, informed her that she was tied to Liam's soul with the only conditions being that Tori's involvement didn't truly shift that reality.

She couldn't help but feel that selfish side of her come out, explaining about all of the possibilities for them both without Vega's presence and yet, there was that other part of her that continued to open her eyes to the truth:

She actually loved Tori Vega.

While the same couldn't be said for her older sister, Jade couldn't deny the fact that the normally upbeat Latina had managed to grow on her after all of this time. On top of that, a bit of guilt began to worm its way into her heart after remembering all of the wild adventures that she had the leading role in each of them; not only in New Orleans but even prior to that.

She was the first one to confess how she felt about him.

She broke the curse of that succubus and even broke the last remaining connection to his former love, Trina.

She managed to convince the nurses at the hospital to grant her some alone time with him while the others were at school.

Then there was that night; that one night where they gave themselves to each other without inhibition. That one night where she no longer doubted his love and devotion toward her. She his and he was hers and yet, Tori didn't get that though. Instead, her greatest moments were always compromised or caused her so much anguish that it almost didn't really count.

While Jade had the freedom of expressing her feelings on her own terms, Tori was practically forced to tell hers by extension. She never broke the hold until after Jade managed to weaken the hold of the demonic spirit. Yerba? She was practically going to be served up to a twisted madman bent on sexual torture. New Orleans? Dealing with the sudden meeting and reconciliation of the older Vega, she was practically nowhere near the action involving Liam's heritage.

Lastly, the big one hit Jade the vampire the hardest:

Being an unwilling patient, kidnapped and held by two vengeful women bent on making Liam suffer.

None of those things really felt like Tori was the star of the show and yet, even the smallest form of alone time was interrupted by Jade herself and dictated by her own terms. There was really nothing that truly connected Liam and Tori where Jade wasn't present to some degree; a realization that made the gnawing feeling in her heart feel that much deeper.

"Jade?" Azure flickered in shock upon hearing her name being called with such curiosity and... was that desperation as well? As her lips parted, porcelain skin felt the warm touch of olive wrapping around her. "It really is you!"

"T-Tori?"

"You really remember me?" excitement laced every word spoken.

When the two finally parted, both the supposed wolf girl and vampire just stared at one another each trying to discern the other's thoughts. Sadly, there was really one way to really tell if Jade believed in this sudden change of attitude.

"How could I forget? You're almost as annoying as the other Vega and her other friend... what was her name? Buick?"

"Yep. It's the real Jade..." The Latina shook her head. "and it's Mercedes."

"...and that's definitely OUR Tori..." The two couldn't resist the urge to roll their eyes but, they smiled at one another before sharing another comforting embrace and asking several questions, the most important one coming first. "Wait! How is it that you're back to normal?"

"I believe I can answer that." The two turned their attention to the entrance of the bedroom where an amused Liam was leaning against the door frame.

However, what really captured both girl's eyes were the sudden appearance of a shallow bite mark along the space between his neck and left shoulder.

* * *

 **-Flashback-**

"Hold on! I'm coming..." he called out, narrowly avoiding being tripped up while putting on his socks.

Swinging the door open, a sweaty Liam peered at a confused, and now shocked Tori; it was clear that she didn't know what to expect when he opened the door.

 _'Maybe he confessed that he wants her instead?'_ she thought to herself. Deep down, her flaws were literally manifested into a humanoid form and after seeing her love interest witness it in person, she didn't know how to react to it. _'Who would want a sex-crazed girl anyways?'_

"Hey, Querida..."

The young werewolf jumped out of her skin when hearing his voice. His soft yet strong voice rang in her sensitive ears like a symphony but when she turned around she saw him with a somewhat sad gaze. On his lips was a smile but his eyes betrayed the happiness that he wanted to portray.

The poor human rubbed the back of his neck and looked away for a moment, a show of nervousness that she adored so much. Upon closer inspection, she couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the guy; sorry for everything that she'd put him through in this alternate world.

"Um... I wanted to tell you that, I talked to Jade already." Although his voice was extremely low, her heightened sense of hearing was more than enough to catch what he was saying. She wasn't the smartest person in the world but she wasn't naive to think that nothing happened between her possible love and her friends. Deep down she knew what would be the next thing to leave his lips.

"So... How did that go?" she tried to sound nonchalant but the nervousness was evident.

"Well, let's just say that it was an interesting conversation." Her eyes flashed with peculiarity. "I told her that while I didn't enjoy being used as ."

The smile that was attempting to creep onto Tori's lips quickly shifted into a look of confusion. "I don't follow... Liam."

Brushing his locs, he looked back at the Latina werewolf with a soft smirk.

"What I mean is that I'm not making a choice right away. I want to get to know you all before I make a life-altering decision. I can't even begin to explain how much I care about you and the others but I have to know that the one I choose is truly the one I want." Tori opened her mouth to say something but was stopped. "I know, it sounds insane, but I need this because I don't want to be in love with 4 girls. So I'm going to do this and hopefully, sooner rather than later I will make a decision based on what my heart tells me..."

 _'He loves me...?"_ Tori tried to make sense of everything that was being revealed to her. "So, if you were to choose me, you know you would be accepting a fate of being a werewolf for eternity right?" she raised her left eyebrow making sure that Liam knew exactly what he was getting into. To her surprise, he shrugged and grinned back at her.

"Who said I'd only be choosing only you?

Puzzled at first, Tori Vega's eyebrows scrunched together, signaling an all too obvious warning to the surprisingly oblivious young man. While his statement was an attempt at a harmless joke, it came off more as a pure challenge; particularly one she didn't find too amusing. Once more her intuition began to kick in, coupled now with her sense of smell as she suddenly picked up the scent of one who was all too familiar.

Familiar, and disgusting.

"You're with her, aren't you?" Honey brown slowly shifted into a dirty bronze shade of smoldering rage and jealousy, silencing the now formerly calm Liam. "I can smell her rotten scent of death and despair!"

"Look, I can explain-!"

He never got the opportunity though. Before he could even begin to explain, a dark blur charged at him with blinding speed, tackling him against the pull-out couch, softening the blow of her assault. Their bodies became a tangled mess as each was now fixated on their mission. For Liam, it was about surviving yet another emotional wave from a second supernatural creature whom he also loved deeply.

Looking up, Tori's skin was no longer a warm olive shade; instead, there were traces of fur in its place. Perfectly white teeth now had for canines resting along the corners of her mouth, adding to the hard glare fixated on his prone form. He watched as her chest heaved up and down hard as every mere second before approaching her prey.

'I am so dead...' his mind constantly drilled into his skull, adding to the dread he was feeling as her fearsome face drew nearer.

"She can't have you..." He felt the heat of her breath against his face, causing his heart to accelerate. This sent a wave of fear through her own nose, triggering something in her that previously was kept in check. Slowly, but surely, her emotions would begin to stir up from her core as she smelled his fear radiating from Liam. The tiny amount of space that remained between them soon closed as she grazed his lips with her own, somehow managing to resist the urge to claim him right there. "She. Can't. Have. You..."

This surprised Liam the most as, contrary to the sharp tone of her whisper, her lips were still soft as she once more leaned in to capture his own. A muffled moan escapes while his body involuntarily tensed up as a result. As a result of this, he'd feel her lips stretch into a satisfied smirk, her canine nipping at his flesh as he futilely resisted her advance. His breathing grew more and more shallow with each passing second while she deepened the kiss, serving to feed her insatiable sexual hunger. He was frozen as the forced make-out session continued aside from a few moments when his body shifted to auto-pilot.

"Mmmm..." he heard a sound so foreign yet, there was some familiarity before their mouths parted; a trail of their saliva being the only thing connecting them to one another. "Aren't I better than her?" He said nothing which didn't sit well with her. "I asked you a question, Liam."

"T-Tori..." he managed to eke out between hard breaths.

"Tell me I'm better than her," despite exuding much force behind her words, it did little to mask the desperation lacing them as well. Through half-lidded eyes, he could only watch as her face contorted back to the deep frown he remembered started this whole ordeal. "Tell me..."

She shifted her weight into a straddling position, gently laying her prey on the floor.

"Pl-Please..." he tried to sit up only to be pinned down by his wrists.

Time was being wasted and the werewolf couldn't take it anymore.

'It looks like I have no choice...'

Noting the look of confusion on Liam's face, Tori flashed him a look that said 'I'm sorry' before lunging at his upper body. Then it happened; a pool of crimson mixed with chocolate skin coupled with a sharp and searing pain took full control of the boy's senses, forcing his eyes to bulge. An intense burning took hold of his ability to process anything outside of one reality:

Tori had bitten him.

Not only that but, she'd literally sunk her canines into the spot near his neck, feeling the thick red liquid begin to flow down from the punctures. To make matters worse, the Latina not only hadn't released her grip on him and instead was driving her fangs deeper, cutting through tendons and muscles and threatening to cause more serious damage.

He wanted to cry out.

He needed to scream from the unbearable pain coursing down his left side but found no exit for his voice. Every attempt at making a sound became trapped in his throat as he felt his body grow weaker as she maintained the pressure. In her mind, she was doing what she felt was right. 'To hell with this contest!' she thought to herself.

Deep down in her heart, Tori Vega felt justified in her actions and just the idea of the trio of competition strengthened her resolve as she tasted his blood. Trina? Her elder sister was nothing more than a spoiled brat who felt she deserved everything in the world. Cat? While innocent, Cat always seemed to just go with the flow of things rather than have her own reasons for doing things which made any form of guilt that'd built up seem insignificant.

Lastly, there was Jade.

Jade Fuckin' West.

While the two were natural enemies due to their races, Tori's vendetta against the gothic vampire started with their rivalry in school functions and only escalated after Jade began taking on sex slaves by claiming innocent souls, many of which she had a crush on at some point in time. Now, the shoe was on the other foot. Now, she would take something precious from Jade and claim Liam for herself, consequences be damned.

"Que-" she heard him cough out feebly.

'Just a few more minutes, and you'll be mine forever.' she closed her eyes to keep from witnesses the suffering expression that twisted his face. Feeling his body begin to shudder, Tori chose to fill her mind with thoughts of the future with her mate. Peaceful days and passionate nights together somehow managed to ease her grief while Liam's haggard breathing tickled her ear.

"P-Please querida..."

She stopped upon hearing the peculiar nickname. She then released her teeth, suddenly noticing the sharp gasp that he released upon feeling the pointed tips being removed. Baffled, she just looked at the wounded boy with a quizzical expression. "What did you call me?" she whispered, his plasma still coating her lips.

"Wha- what do you think?"

"You called me querida," she shook her head in frustration. "You called me dear?"

In spite of his minor convulsing, he managed to cover the four holes with a lopsided grin on his twitching lips. "Would you prefer I call you reina instead?"

"I'm no queen," she knit her eyebrows. "I'm a beast, a slave to my animal instincts..."

"So?"

"So?! Look at you! Look at what I did to you-!" Tori then stopped her impending breakdown once she actually saw the damage she'd caused. "I-I hurt you..." The small pool of blood continued to grow steadily as began to shiver in horror at the result of her impulsive deed. "I hurt you just like... like...!"

"Like Jade?" He finished, Interestingly, she shook her head no, puzzling him. "Like who then?"

Her answer came in the form of a pounce and hot tears mixing in with the now faded red hue. "Like her?"

"Tori?"

"Like Trina!" The realization was more than enough for the girl's golden hue to shift back to their normal honey brown tone as she sobbed quietly at what she'd done. "I was about to take advantage of you-."

But you didn't." she looked at him, wondering just how someone could be so calm despite what had just occurred.

"Only because you stopped me."

"Doesn't matter, Tori." he winced in between chuckles. "No harm was done."

"How can you say that?"

"Because you're my querida."

"What would we even call this?" she pointed to the now exposed area, doing everything to avoid alerting anyone within earshot.

"Growing pains?"

"Liam..." Shame had begun to slither its way along her soul, forcing her to avert her gaze. "I'm really sorry..."

"I forgive you... besides, if you wanted it so bad, all you have to do is ask." Now she stared at him wide-eyed, unable to hide the burning rose tint that began to surface along her cheeks. "What? It's not like we haven't done it before. Or don't you remember our first time together?"

"W-Well..."

* * *

Staring back at her beloved lovers, it was clear that Jade West was not amused, especially once it was revealed that Tori tried to claim his soul for herself while leaving such a nasty wound that was sure to develop into a nasty scar for the duration of their time in this world. Still, she couldn't be too angry with the brunette as she herself caused an equally damaging injury to the other side of Liam's neck back in their universe. Combine that with her own monstrous outburst not too long before, she couldn't blame Tori Vega for doing what came naturally to her.

"There's just one question that's bugging me," the two looked on, curious as to what was on the pale girl's mind. "While I get that Tori had a change of heart and realized her real identity, but, just how did you manage to get her to remember?"

They both looked at each other then back at their annoyed girlfriend.

"You."

She stood there, blinking for several seconds before finally gathering the nerve to speak again.

"What are you two dunderheads going on about?"

Liam simply watched as Tori took the initiative to walk over to Jade, a seductive look dancing behind her brown orbs. What came next was a light but steadily firm kiss that stunned Jade and even their boyfriend, though to a much lesser degree in his case. Hands cupped faces as it was Jade who'd deepen the gesture, slipping her tongue past the plush lips of her canine partner.

By now, Liam was beginning to feel a little left out only to meet the collective gazes of his two girlfriends as they motioned for him to join the fun.

"Tell us, Liam..." Tori started, biting her bottom lip.

"What do you think of having two mythological creatures?" Jade finished, winking at him.

He simply scoffed, before shutting the bedroom door behind him.

"Business as usual..." he grinned deviously, eager to indulge his beautiful ladies.


	62. Chapter 57

**Disclaimer:**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.**

 **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

 **Staring back at her beloved lovers, it was clear that Jade West was not amused, especially once it was revealed that Tori tried to claim his soul for herself while leaving such a nasty wound that was sure to develop into a nasty scar for the duration of their time in this world. Still, she couldn't be too angry with the brunette as she herself caused an equally damaging injury to the other side of Liam's neck back in their universe. Combine that with her own monstrous outburst not too long before, she couldn't blame Tori Vega for doing what came naturally to her.**

 **"There's just one question that's bugging me," the two looked on, curious as to what was on the pale girl's mind. "While I get that Tori had a change of heart and realized her real identity, but, just how did you manage to get her to remember?"**

 **They both looked at each other then back at their annoyed girlfriend.**

 **"You."**

 **She stood there, blinking for several seconds before finally gathering the nerve to speak again.**

 **"What are you two dunderheads going on about?"**

 **Liam simply watched as Tori took the initiative to walk over to Jade, a seductive look dancing behind her brown orbs. What came next was a light but steadily firm kiss that stunned Jade and even their boyfriend, though to a much lesser degree in his case. Hands cupped faces as it was Jade who'd deepen the gesture, slipping her tongue past the plush lips of her canine partner.**

 **By now, Liam was beginning to feel a little left out only to meet the collective gazes of his two girlfriends as they motioned for him to join the fun.**

 **"Tell us, Liam..." Tori started, biting her bottom lip.**

 **"What do you think of having two mythological creatures?" Jade finished, winking at him.**

 **He simply scoffed, before shutting the bedroom door behind him.**

 **Liam simply grinned deviously, eager to indulge his beautiful ladies**. **"Business as usual..."**

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 57: Depths of our Souls pt. 1  
**

After the trio shared information about the situations surrounding their temporary home, they soon got to work on the real issue. That problem would be keeping up the charade that Jade and Tori were still rivals for his heart rather than polyamorous lovers. While this seemed simple enough, they were top notch actors, after all, they still needed for things to seem as if they were prior to their realizations.

The first test of this would come the following Monday afternoon in Sikowitz's class.

The hobo dressed teacher stood on top of the small stage with his trademark coconut in his left hand going over the next assignment while Tori sat next to Andre talking about what was on the menu for lunch.

"Today class, we will be working on couple scenes improvisation, but first I and forced to announce that this Friday will be the first back to school kickback and anybody who wants to perform must go to the front office and sign up." the classroom erupted in cheers and applause as the teacher tried to calm them down. "Anywho, first up will be Cat, Liam, Jade, and Beck! Come forward, all of you!"

The four students stepped up as Andre's drowsiness suddenly began to subside. Anything that involved Cat always had a grip on his attention. The only issue with that logic was why...? Why was he so interested in the red velvet cupcake-loving girl all of a sudden? At first, it was just a feeling of contentment with her excited demeanor and wacky antics. What started with the young musician no longer feeling annoyed with her crazy stories or experiences, now morphed into him noticing even the more elusive details about her. From the way she nibbled on bibble to her child-like innocence when dealing with strenuous moments, Andre slowly began to notice them all.

There was only one problem.

"Now then, Liam, you and Cat are a couple on the rocks because you two are attracted to Jade and Beck respectively, but you don't know whether they feel the same way considering they are dating each other. This takes place in a dimly lit park where you all happened to have your first dates. Whatever direction you go in, you must stick with it... And ACTION!"

Liam thought for a second then got into character, doing his best to seem nervous and guilty.

"Kitty, I um..." he scratched his head looking away from Cat. "There's something that I need to talk to you about..."

Cat grabbed his hands and gave him a look of pure innocence, smiling as if to say that she was totally into this. Andre mentally grinned knowing that the scene involved Cat losing someone but felt bad at the same time.

"Yes? Conner, tell me. You know I'm here for you..." she recited with a subtle tone of emotional wanting that made Liam's cheeks grow slightly red in response. While this was also a part of his act, he couldn't help but feel a sudden burst of real uncertainty hit him as he began to recall the bet made with the red-head and Trina Vega, who thankfully wasn't in this class. "Whatever you have to say, you can tell me."

"I have to... break up with you..." he whispered loud enough for the audience to hear him.

Now Cat's face had a soft frown and her eyes looked to be watery.

 _'man, she's a great actress.'_ Beck thought as he and Jade awaited their turns to enter the scene.

"You see, I realized that I'm attracted to Rose..." he placed a hand on her cheek only to have her pull away. "I'm sorry... but, I can't keep dating you knowing that I'd have to choose

She turned back to him with a sad smile. "I understand, for you see, I too am in love with someone else..."

Now it was Liam's turn to be shocked.

"You don't mean?" she nodded before he could even finish his sentence.

Andre watched intently; his eyes never leaving Cat's small frame. She didn't notice but her own cheeks were now flushed with desire at her crush's incredible performance. It took everything in her not to ruin the scene by running up and kissing Cat.

"Yes, Mark..." the redhead looked away. "...Please try to understand..."

But Liam simply walked away in anger towards Jade's spot on the stage as Beck took his place next to Cat.

While the best friends pretended to voice their opinions on one another, a second student was now watching intently but this was out of anger and jealousy.

Trina.

Unbeknownst to the class, Trina Vega had passed by Sikowitz's classroom only to catch a glimpse of the scene unfolding.

Her eyes flickered with contempt as she knew that deep down, Jade was trying to take her Liam, seducing her into being his. But she felt that although her friends weren't officially together, it would only be a matter of time before Liam and Jade became Liam & Jade. What surprised her, even more, was how her own sister, Tori, didn't seem to mind the events. It seemed obvious that she alone was the only one who saw the signs. The flirting, the ditching, even the goth girl spending nights with punk rocker boy. She did admit to herself that Travis was very attractive but not enough to change her sexuality. With her arms folded, she glared daggers at her male bandmate hoping nobody noticed. Unfortunately, some did...

"Kitty?" Andre watched as her brother took her hands. It took everything for Andre not to react out of jealousy at that moment.

She didn't hear anything else because the only sound in her ears was her rapidly beating heart and the only thing she felt was the blooding boiling in her veins. But what happened next sent shockwaves throughout the entire classroom.

Both couples were kissing each other.

Soon, Cat had turned the simple stage kiss with Beck into a passionate embrace that caused Andre's blood to boil. Feeling a tightening feeling in his chest, he quietly dismissed himself from the room; he needed to get out of there for a multitude of reasons. Once the door closed behind him, Andre began to wander aimlessly down the halls with no clear destination in mind. In truth, he was too busy being wrapped up in his thoughts about what had just transpired and even more importantly, why he reacted that way.

Sure, he'd admit to anyone that the cupcake lover was cute but, they were only friends. There was no romantic connection between the two nor had there been any before which raised the most significant question to him:

Where did this feeling come from?

He had little time to ponder that thought as he felt something, or rather someone bumps into him roughly. The amount of force caused him to stumble back but that was nothing compared to the sight of a young girl who was rubbing her now sore rear.

"Oh man! I'm so sorry!"

He extended his hand to the still pain-ridden girl. Thankfully, she accepted the gesture, allowing him to help her back to her feet.

"It's alright. I should've watched where I was going, to be honest." she shook her head frantically while simultaneously holding her thick-rimmed glasses.

"No! I mean... I wasn't paying attention." he nervously chuckled.

"Then why don't we agree that we both were at fault?" she giggled back at his troubled expression. "Deal?"

With a quick nod, the two allowed the silence to permeate around them as they both averted their gaze from each other. While trying to keep themselves from saying something completely embarrassing, neither could resist the chance to steal a glance at the other. While it was obvious that the girl was sparing looks at a rather handsome young man, he was trying to study every detail of the cute girl in front of him.

From her medium brown skin to her long braided hair, it was evident that she was beautiful in her own right. However, while she did look rather plain in terms of her attire, what did stand out to him were her captivating violet eyes that shined magnificently. After noticing that detail about the girl, he couldn't tear himself away from her until she turned her head away from him.

"Oh, crud..." he groaned after realizing his awkward actions. "I- 'm so sorry for staring at you! I just got caught up in um..."

"Caught up in what?" she slowly shifted her eyes back to him, once again catching him in those purple traps once more. To make matters worse, he couldn't mistake the heavy traces of curiosity and want behind her tone making his knees turn to jelly.

He stopped and just looked at her, blinking several times before finally gathering some form of words in his currently dysfunctional brain of his.

"Well... you see, um... I think you're pretty cute?"

To his relief, she simply giggled again.

"Well... thank you for the compliment," she paused, a soft frown suddenly appearing on her lips. "My apologies. I didn't get your name."

"Andre. And yours?"

As quickly as the frown appeared, it soon gave way to a slightly upward crease along the corner of her lips.

"Ahri."

* * *

Several weeks had passed and the trio had begun working on their plan to get themselves and their friends back to the real world while also trying to maintain their roles as unknowing participants of some crazed man's game. At this point, Liam had been noticing that Beck, Robbie, and especially Andre had been somewhat distant which concerned him at many times. Add to that the issue of dealing with Cat & Trina's constant chasing of him as well as the usual day-by-day routines and it was safe to say that he was up to his neck in woes.

 _Hopefully, tonight I can see my lovely ladies..._

At the moment, he was drawn from his inner musing by a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Liam, I just got the song list from Marc and we can go over a few of them next week if you're alright with that." A young Hispanic boy named Caleb, whom he recognized as one of the band members, congratulated as he made his way to leave towards the parking lot. "See ya Monday!"

He waved back at the guy and began his long trek home. It was at least a 15-minute walk to the nearest bus stop and even though Jade and the other girls have offered him rides multiple times, he respectfully declined due to the fact that he loved the exercise. By the time he made it half-way to his apartment, the sun was beginning its descent upon the horizon. He took a long look at his growing shadow as he approached an old abandoned building that he would use as a short cut from time to time.

"Almost there..." he muttered as he entered the building with caution.

The building itself was a small corporation facility that house medical supplies and outdated waste material. He never had the urge or curiosity to just explore the place since it honestly gave him the creeps. There were at least 3 more floors above him and a basement area that doubled as an underground bunker during earthquakes. Releasing a sharp breath as he observed the many virus samples that were contained inside various shaped jars. "Never, gets any easier." he sighed when he heard an unfamiliar sound. It was the creaking of a door from the upper-level stairs. Next came the 'ceremonial' footsteps. He stopped dead in his tracks and rushed to a wall avoiding who or whatever was coming down. As he peaked his head around the corner, making sure not to give his position away, he saw a creature with wings.

Demonic wings...

"Andre?" he whispered while coming out of his hiding spot catching the demon boy attention. "Dude?! You almost scared the crap out of me!" he chuckled. Andre did not return the gesture and instead glared at the boy. "A-Andre?"

The next thing he knew he was on the receiving end of a bone-crunching punch that caused him to slide across the tiled floor. It took Liam only about half a minute to regain his composure, but before he could say anything, he was grabbed by the demon and tossed through all wall; landing into a stretcher. He finally pulled himself to his feet and narrowly avoided the now flying Andre who was attempting to spear him into the large mirror. "What the hell is wrong is you?!"

Andre stood up wiping the shards of glass from his body and bared his fangs. "You took her..." he growled; venom dripping from each word. "...You took her away from us!"

"Wait, us?"

Before Liam could ask, he was then hit in the back by a fiery blast that sent him reeling, burning a bit of his flesh on his left shoulder in the process. and before he even hit the ground, he was struck by a long object that doubled his pain. Once he finished sliding across the floor, he looked up to see the source of his pain.

"Beck? Robbie?" he was shocked at the sight of his friend no... his brothers were assaulting him. "What are you guys doing?" He clutched at his chest while now seriously limping towards any form of exit he could find. Robbie was the first of the two to respond.

"You took them away..." he droned.

Again, Liam was confused. "Who? Took who away?"

"It doesn't matter now..." Andre finally spoke up with a dark sneer. "All that matters now is that we bring you to them. Although, they never said that we couldn't rough you up first if needed."

Each name brought up had sparked a realization to the young man. He never understood the extent of what his own buddies were going through when the girls opted to compete for his heart. "Guys, I had no idea what or who you're talking about..." he managed to get out while still gasping for air. "But, I'm not going anywhere."

"But you see, Liam..." The Angel and Sorceror recited in accord.

He had managed to sneak over to a back door only to be blocked by Andre who grabbed him into a bear hug. "We... are under orders..."

With that being said, the two focused their powers into their hands and fired them at the now defenseless and struggling Liam. With each second that passed, Liam felt the urge to scream from the sheer amount of pain being inflicted but found no outlet as the necessary sounds never surfaced. His eyes felt like they would pop out of his head as his vision grew more and more blurry.

 _Is this it?_ he begged in his mind.

The last thing he remembered was suddenly hitting the cold and hard floor before noticing traces of a bright flash and then darkness...

* * *

An unknown amount of time passed by before he regained consciousness. By this point, Liam remained still while trying to inspect his immediate surroundings. For starters, he figured that he was lying down in a bed of some kind. It could've been a couch or something else entirely, but he opted for the simplest option since his only comparison was a dirty and cold tiled floor previously.

Eventually, he concluded that, by the air of familiarity, he was indeed in his bed back in his apartment.

"Liam?" a familiar voice tickled his ear, forcing him from his induced slumber.

A low grumble passed his lips as he subconsciously shook his head slowly.

"Liam, please wake up..." the sounds of sweetness mixed with concern rang in his ear gently.

"Wha? Who's there?"

"Open your eyes and find out..." This time another voice full of seductive grace drew his attention. He soon complied to the request, opening his emerald orbs only to be greeted a sight that he knew all too well. Back in the real world, he recalled how the pair of Tori and Jade looked so worried about his wellbeing, while also angry at the extremes he would go through for them. Once again he was surrounded by his girlfriends who all had a serious yet pained expression on their faces inside his humble abode.

"What's going on here? Am I dreaming again? Am I dead?" He gulped after that last one.

Jade simply walked towards him stopping only mere inches from his prone body. "To answer your questions, You were unconscious, No, and No, you're not dead," she replied in a somewhat snarky tone. "But..." her voice was now vulnerable again. "You were hurt pretty bad though."

It was then that Liam's mind finally caught on to what she was saying. "Oh, yea... The guys attacked me..." He looked towards the ground in a state of guilt and shame. "They said that I stole you from them..."

"We know..." Tori chimed in dejectedly. "We managed to stop them from causing any more damage but, you should take it easy for a while."

"Huh? Why exactly?" he asked, trying his best to sit up.

At that exact moment, he felt a sharp pain coursing through his midsection as well as his left shoulder that forced him to lie back down forthwith. He clutched the right side of his ribs only to feel what felt like puncture wounds around the immediate area of his torso. Not wanting dwell on the terrifying expectation, he then shifted his focus onto his shoulder, taking care not to aggravate the severely burned flesh only to feel two puncture marks there as well.

"Jade? Tori?" his voice trembled as he observed their faces, adorned with shame and yet, a strong resoluteness danced behind their respective gazes. "Did you...?"

"Bite you?" Jade finished, noticing the steadily shaky nod from her lover. "Yes... We had no choice."

"But, why?"

"Because if we didn't, you would've died..."

Liam, grateful to have the answer he sought, was surprised when another voice broke through the somber atmosphere that surrounded him like storm clouds. He, along with the two girls cut their eyes to the door of his bedroom when a young dark skinned woman made her appearance.

"Wait. You?"

Surprisingly, a soft grin graced her full lips as she approached the trio.

"Long time no see, little brother."


	63. Chapter 58

**Disclaimer:**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.**

 **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

"What's going on here? Am I dreaming again? Am I dead?" He gulped after that last one.

Jade simply walked towards him stopping only mere inches from his prone body. "To answer your questions, You were unconscious, No, and No, you're not dead," she replied in a somewhat snarky tone. "But..." her voice was now vulnerable again. "You were hurt pretty bad though."

It was then that Liam's mind finally caught on to what she was saying. "Oh, yea... The guys attacked me..." He looked towards the ground in a state of guilt and shame. "They said that I stole you from them..."

"We know..." Tori chimed in dejectedly. "We managed to stop them from causing any more damage but, you should take it easy for a while."

"Huh? Why exactly?" he asked, trying his best to sit up.

At that exact moment, he felt a sharp pain coursing through his midsection as well as his left shoulder that forced him to lie back down forthwith. He clutched the right side of his ribs only to feel what felt like puncture wounds around the immediate area of his torso. Not wanting dwell on the terrifying expectation, he then shifted his focus onto his shoulder, taking care not to aggravate the severely burned flesh only to feel two puncture marks there as well.

"Jade? Tori?" his voice trembled as he observed their faces, adorned with shame and yet, a strong resoluteness danced behind their respective gazes. "Did you...?"

"Bite you?" Jade finished, noticing the steadily shaky nod from her lover. "Yes... We had no choice."

"But, why?"

"Because if we didn't, you would've died..."

Liam, grateful to have the answer he sought, was surprised when another voice broke through the somber atmosphere that surrounded him like storm clouds. He, along with the two girls cut their eyes to the door of his bedroom when a young dark-skinned woman made her appearance.

"Wait. You?"

Surprisingly, a soft grin graced her full lips as she approached the trio.

"Long time no see, little brother."

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 58: Depths of our Souls pt. 2  
**

"I don't understand what the hold up is..." a snarky toned voice broke the silence of the dark and hallowed room where a stoic young man sat. "Why not just pull them all out now rather than let them proceed onward?"

Never the one to be deterred, Mad Dog remained perfectly still, choosing instead to meditate on the gang lost in the alternate world. Even still, a part of him did understand how justifiable her caution was.

"There is no need for us to force the issue when nature is taking its course..." he calmly replied, much to the young woman's chagrin. "We must remain patient if we are to fulfill our place in destiny's plan."

"Destiny?" uncertain eyes locked onto the figure, analyzing every detail of his demeanor. "What is this destiny that you've put your trust into, anyway?"

"Patience, my dear. For now, let's enjoy the solace of our time together and finish our preparations. The story will be reaching its climax soon..."

Upon hearing that, the young woman's lips began to crawl upward into a sinister grin, one that was all too familiar to her character. The simple idea that the culmination of all of Mad Dog's efforts behind the scenes would result in her benefit.

"Very well..." she smirked, choosing to take her exit for the time being. " Just be careful with the contents of that book. I didn't give it to you just so you could go ahead and get yourself killed. I'll be heading out into town for a bit of fresh air."

"Do as you wish, M'Lady..." he muttered before resuming his meditation, leaving her to her own devices.

Her footsteps echoed down the empty halls until she was certain that she was out of earshot. Soon, the glow of seduction melted into sparks of dark glee at the prospect of what was to come while remembering the last words before her departure.

"I fully intend to..."

* * *

Back in the alternate world, Liam was laying down on his bed half sleep when Jade walked into his room wearing a black and green gothic skirt with a black strapless top. To summarize, Lucille was filled in about the truth of this world and, after putting together the pieces from their world, she agreed to keep a low profile as a police officer while keeping watch over the trio. Given the events that had occurred thus far, it was for the best that she remained hidden from whatever force was manipulating the others. Once that was settled, she offered to take Tori home, much to the latter's disdain. Jade declined and chose to stay with Liam for the night for two reasons. The first being the reality of their current situation and... well, another reason was a nagging question that plagued her soul; Needless to say, she didn't look thrilled at the moment.

"What's wrong, my monster..." he yawned.

She kept a stern face, though it faltered slightly after hearing his nickname for her, and shook her head no.

"Jade?"

"What?" she half yelled but the venom was lost in her voice.

He finally stood up and walked over to her, clearly concerned about the vamp.

"Jade, what's wrong?" he held her arms as she shook her head in defiance. "Jade West... Please tell me what's going on..."

"It's about us..."

"Huh? What about us?"

The goth chewed lightly on her lip before finally letting out a deep breath.

"I mean... marriage. Well, after we get out of here, do you see yourself marrying me or Tori?"

His gaze dropped as he turned away. He walked away towards his bed and sat on the edge sighing to himself.

"You really wanna know?" Jade nodded.

"For starters, I figured this would come up at some point."

"What do you mean?" her voice was etched in curiosity yet at the same time Liam sensed a little bit of fear laced behind it.

"For years, I wondered what it would mean to be married to that special one and raising a family. So, imagine my surprise when I wound up in a relationship with not only you but Tori as well?" He chuckled softly but even Jade could see the conflict on his face; immediate regret soon slithering around her heart for even bringing the subject up in the first place. "Still, I thought about many things involving the choice of either being with you or Tori, even to this day."

Now it was Liam's turn to fight back the tears. Unknown to Jade, he was visually reliving the events of his past in his mind. The image of potentially hurting either Jade or Tori clearly haunted him as shown when he clenched his eyes shut in a failed attempt to make them disappear. Jade placed her hands on his chin and looked into his now blurred green eyes. Sighing again, Liam put on a small smirk.

"Did you come up with any ideas?" Oh, how he loved when her vulnerable side would come out.

"Two, actually. The first one is the easiest as it's the current path that we're taking." Seeing her bluish-green eyes shimmer with wonder, he continued. The first is that I don't get married and stay with you both. We'd move in together and possibly have children and that's the end."

"...and the second idea?"

"We get our passports renewed and move to another country where we can all be legally married."

Jade was astounded by what she was hearing. She was now sitting on Travis's left side on the bed listening to the extensively sad story of her boyfriend.

"You'd go that far for us...?" she whispered, catching her boyfriend completely off guard.

Nodding, he kissed her forehead and smiled a genuine smile.

"Of course. It'll take some research and a bit of money but, it'll be worth it and it'll put a permanent end to this rivalry between you two involving me at least."

"But that'll mean you'd be leaving your family here in the states..." Jade gently interrupted earning a sad nod in response.

"You're right..." Liam sighed softly. "But, I know that they'll both support my decision for my future."

At this point, he refused to stop the tears that streamed down his face. He choked back a bitter sob as Jade wrapped her ivory arms around his neck and hugged him. She only knew that family was one of the most precious things for Liam and yet, he was willing to sacrifice that for them. With Ahrya gone, his potential decision held even heavier impact for him.

"What if we don't get out of here?"

Liam pulled back gently letting Jade see his emeralds fill with a degree of determination she never knew existed.

"No... Don't think like that." He answered bitterly. "We'll escape this world and furthermore, I'm going to kick that guy's ass for sending us here in the first place."

Jade's icy gaze turned to a look all too familiar yet, there was something else that he couldn't quite place, look towards her boyfriend.

"We are going to kick that guy's ass! You are not alone, do you understand?!"

He had no choice but to nod. Jade West was literally about to rip him a new one. Or so he thought...

"I'm still here, aren't I?" she said in a voice that Liam could've sworn resembled a kitten purring. She was now straddling his lap letting her hands trail down his muscular frame. He shuddered in ecstasy as he felt the electricity from his girlfriend's touch. He mumbled something incoherent to Jade who was now smirking deviously. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear that, baby?"

"Yes..." he allowed himself to lay back on the bed as Jade began to kiss his muscular chest.

Jade was in control, and this both intrigued and scared Travis at the same time. He knew that Jade was dominant but he had never seen this side of her. She had a look of pure lust in her eyes as her raven hair cascaded over both of them. He knew what he had to do... Quickly without thinking, he flipped her over so that they both were in the middle of the bed. He hovered over her with a lovingly gaze that sent Jade's heart fluttering inside her chest.

"Jade, do you want this to happen?" he whispered between kisses only to receive a moan from her. "I said, do. you. want. this. to. happen?"

The pleasure of his lips on her pale skin was enough to elicit a sexual glare from her coupled with her signature bite gesture.

"J-just go E-easy on me... The last time, you..." she couldn't get the word out due to her excessive gasping from his lips now on hers.

She decided to take the initiative back and with all her strength, she managed to prod her tongue past his lips and the first round of tonsil hockey ensued. This continued until the parted for air. Finally, it was time Liam had now stripped the remaining clothes he had on as did his significant other. Marveling at his ebony skin, she whispered. "Take me now..."

After leveling his member with her flower he slowly entered her only to get halfway. Something was blocking his complete entrance. Then it hit him like Jade throwing Sinjin at him: Jade West was truly innocent. He wanted to stop; to pull out now before it was too late, but a pair of wrapped legs prevented him from his escape attempt. Looking back at her, he knew true fear for the first time since he was 6 years old when his worried eyes met a hellaciously fuming gaze of Jade West.

"Don't. You. Dare..."

Her furrowed brows lifted as her scowl turned back to the smirk he knew and loved. He then felt her legs wrap tighter around his waist. She was going through with this... Once again he felt her barrier stretch within her and knew the only thing he could do now was slam his lips on hers as he tore through enticing muffled screams from Jade. After he broke through completely, he continued thrusting until her cries of pain shifted to moans of pleasure.

"Just relax, alright?" she winked at him causing his face to burn bright red despite his dark skin. She lifted her legs allowing him to go deeper with little effort. His rhythm finally achieved, Liam made sure that Jade was enjoying this as much as he was. Turns out she was beyond his level of enjoyment as she was now digging her nails into his shoulders. The next thing he knew, he was on his back with Jade riding him. Her ivory breasts bouncing underneath his palms, she had now quickened the pace letting her walls stretch from his manhood. "Oh, Liam... I love you." she moaned as her ass pounded against his thighs. Suddenly, he felt his balls tighten as her walls constricted against him.

This went on for what felt like an eternity, filling the couple with a sensation of bliss that captured every one of their senses.

"J-Jade-"

"I know me too, Tiger." she barely managed to eke out through parted lips.

Soon they both hit their climax at the same time engulfed in the shared orgasmic bliss. Jade then crawled on top of her heavy breathing boyfriend who wrapped her in his strong arms as she cuddled into his chest.

Liam then kissed her one more time before letting sleep overtake him. Jade looked up at the proverbial sky and smirked defiantly.

"What did we ever do to deserve you?"

* * *

The next day came and went for the trio but it was Tori who decided to stay after school to finish a project with an unnamed partner for Biology class. It didn't take too long, but now, the only thing that mattered to her was getting out of school and seeing her beloved(s). She gathered the books and notes needed before shutting her locker door only to be greeted by a pair of lilac eyes.

"Hello, Tori..." The brunette werewolf jumped slightly.

"What the-? Why are you just creeping around like some stalker?" she huffed with both shock and annoyance.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you." she mockingly apologized.

The girl chuckled to herself before leaning towards the now uneasy latina. "Let me make it up to you..." It was then that the atmosphere around them both became heavy. It was like a force was pressing against Tori Vega who was gripped in fear. "My names Ahri."

To say that the werewolf was uneasy was putting it mildly as she felt an evil presence surrounding her. The creepy smirk on the young girl's face didn't do any favors except one; a realization that made the brunette suddenly want to lash out in fury.

"YOU?!"

"Do you remember me now, Tori?" Ahri's eyes slowly flashed as she sent a shockwave into the brunette forcing her on her back.

The wounded werewolf struggled to her feet while clutching her chest. Layla swiftly dashed at supersonic speeds towards Tori who was just now regaining her bearings. By the time she was able to focus, Layla was already in front of her and launched a side kick that sent Tori careening into a set of lockers. The sickening thud as her body connected with the steel was enough to elicit some form of fear from the girl who was trying desperately to get away. Inch by inch she dragged herself away as her tormenter stalked closer and closer to her.

"Aw... Big bad Tori Vega crawling..." she taunted as she kicked the girl in the same ribs she assaulted just a few minutes ago. "It's no wonder..." she yanked at Tori's hair making her groan in displeasure. "...Liam doesn't want a bitch like you! As a sister or... ew, a lover..."

Instantly, she snapped. Her brown eyes shifted to a darkened yellow and her teeth were now canine-like. Ahri was knocked down from Tori's thrashing as her just previously wounded prey suddenly became the predator. Once the transformation was completed, she saw that Tori was now towering over her with malicious intent. Her eyes revealed blood lust... Without a second thought, Layla made a run for it with the now hungry wolf girl on her tail. It didn't take very long before the estranged sister/cousin was forced to knock down anything she could get her hands on in order to throw off her pursuer. Finally, she ended up outside away from the school allowing Tori, in her blind rage, to expose herself and the reality of spiritual beings to humans who were in shock and terror at the ferocious beast that had just dashed past them.

It was then that Ahri felt a wave of comfort as she jumped into a set of bushes knowing that Tori would follow...

"Where are you?!" Tori howled as she somehow ended up in the middle of a construction site. Sniffing around, she noticed that the girl's scent had disappeared but there was something else in the air. Now there were two separate scents and all of them were familiar. Her eyes shot open in a fit of anger but at the same time happiness. Stepping before her were the forms of "Trina? Cat" she lowly growled. The three teens stood as if in a militia's line with their eye's forward and there glares blank. Tori was about to change back into her human form but stopped short when she heard a wicked laugh.

"Tori, Tori, Tori..." Ahri walked out from her hiding spot shaking her head; a wicked smirk matching her laugh. "Simple, Tori, you still don't get it, do you, bitch?"

"What did you do to them?!" she roared sending a small shockwave at her snickering enemy who kept walking towards her seemingly unfazed.

"My dear Tori didn't do anything..." she placed her hand on her ample bosom in mock shock. "...you did. When you took the one person who we loved the most. Your's and Jade's selfishness caused them to come to me and "

It was then that the wolf charged at Ahri only to see Cat jump in between both of them. Not wanting to hurt her friend, she stopped dead in her tracks only to receive a hard kick to her jaw for her troubles. Her body twisted as she skidded against the ground into the side of the unfinished building. The stone-faced girls inched closer towards the building making sure that they accomplished their mission only to have their target disappear. Watching intently, they surveyed the debris and rubble but found nothing but the imprints of paws and claws. Suddenly, Cat was speared out of nowhere by Tori who shifted her back paws in front of her own body and using the momentum, she stomped the red-haired girl into the ground causing a mini crater to form underneath her. Before she could react, Cat felt a pair of paws on his shoulders and within seconds she was sent flying into a steel beam that twisted around her now unconscious frame. That left only Trina who was now conjuring up fireballs in her direction. Turning around, she dashed towards her dodging each of the flaming spheres sent at her until she jumped in the air and attempted to swipe the mage but without warning, a flash of light blinded her. Once her vision returned, she found that she could no longer move for she was encased in ice up to her neck.

"Very good... You've done excellently." Trina nodded and kneeled at the girl's feet. "Now once Cat awakens we can proceed to take out Jade before we systematically destroy Liam..."

Tori may not have been able to move, but she was able to hear what came out of her sister's mouth. "Yes, my mistress..." Trina Vega, her own sister, had once again turned her back on the man she claimed to once love, Liam to this creature- no, it appeared that every one of her friends had sold out Liam...

With all the rage she could muster, she felt and heard the ice cracking. Turning around Ahri and Robbie looked on in a mix of confusion that quickly shifted to horror. Tori, using her brute strength, shattered the ice into shards and pounced on the angel and demon, seemingly knocking them both out.

Ahri was cornered...

This was all Tori needed to see as she licked her lips hungrily at her desperate prey. Soon, she lunged at her, she waited for the kill shot thinking her plan was shot but to her surprise (and relief), the killing blow never came... Tori was currently subdued in an all silver lined net that quickly caused her to shift back into her human form while writhing in excruciating pain. Behind her stood Andre & Beck who were steadily pulling the werewolf away from their leader. The anger of the Latina would aid her as she began to break free from the bonds, her rage knowing no bounds at this point.

Thankfully for the astonished girl, the boys came prepared. While Tori struggled valiantly against the silver wire, both Robbie and Trina were conjuring a spell that was steadily weakening their target. It was clearly working as the bloodlust burning behind Tori's eyes began to drain, leaving behind an increasing feeling of despair to escape her confinement.

Finally, she would succumb to the element, dropping to her hands and knees in pain.

"V-Very good boys... I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up." Ahri quickly fixed her hair and proceeded to walk past the now weakened Tori. Kneeling down next to her, Ahri smirked deviously at her captive. "We have plans for you... Big plans..." she mused before her slaves began to haul off their catch.

'Liam. Jade.' Those were the last coherent thoughts before Tori finally passed out from exhaustion.

* * *

"Where is Vega?" the annoyed tone of Jade West caused her boyfriend to let out a barely stifled snicker while turning a corner. Of course, this led to him winding up on the receiving end of her signature glare. "What is so funny?"

"Sorry. I just never thought I'd see the day when you'd be upset with not sharing me..." he shrugged, not even the least bit intimidated.

Sitting in the passenger's seat, the gothic had to admit that this was a little humorous as she let out a tiny giggle. "Okay, I see your point. However, I'm seriously worried about her, Liam. It's not like her to just ignore our texts like this."

"You're right about that," he agreed, dropping his smirk upon hearing her reasoning. "She wasn't at home and neither was Trina. Maybe they both went out?"

"It's possible. Though, why not just tell us that she was going out with the Vega...?"

"Jade?" his warning tone caused her to stick out her bottom lip playfully. "Let's not start with that."

"Fine..."

"Relax, Jade. Beside's something doesn't seem right about this." Liam put his palm on the goth's shoulders while keeping his focus on the road ahead. "Have you tried calling her pear phone again?"

"Only about a hundred times, Liam..." Jade disappointedly admitted. He knew that deep down inside, despite all her complaints about her, Jade did, in fact, miss Tori around. It'd only been a couple of hours since they had left school, so something had to have happened.

Boy, were they right...

Across town in an undisclosed location, Tori stood against the wall chained in a dark barely lit basement. Her wrists, her ankles, and even her neck were restrained with a silver collar that was linked to the wall behind her. This was the precaution taken after she was subdued by Ahri and the guys. Despite her struggles and futile attempts to get loose, she persisted until she heard a click. The blinding light that shined from the opened door nearly caused her to shriek but she refused.

"Hello, Tori..." the voice was undoubtedly hers. That wicked tone in her captor's voice was enough for Tori to stop her attempts.

"What do you want with me, demon?" she snarled releasing a low growl. Her eyes were literally burrowing holes through Ahri's skull but the young woman simply giggled deviously.

"My, aren't we selfish today?" She took her index finger and gently traced Tori's jawline only to have her captive pull away defiantly. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot you don't like to be handled by others except... him..." Then, before Tori's eyes, she saw the girl shift into a mirror image of her crush. Every detail was there. His green orbs, his long locs, the dimple on his left cheek, even his voice was matched perfectly. "You see, Tori? It's not about you, yet..." she mocked before changing back to her original human form. "This is about war... a war that you inadvertently caused between man and spirits... A war between Liam and his little playmates..."

"If you're trying to get him back, then you're going about it the wrong way. He'll never forgive you for this!"

"Who says I wanted him back?"

"What are you talking about? If not that, then what?"

"Revenge..."

Tori was confused but afraid. She now knew what was going on. Her capture wasn't just to harm her, it was to lure Liam and Jade... She was the bait. But, before she could say anything more, she was silenced by a piece of tape that was quickly put over her mouth. She could only watch as Layla pulled out her [Tori's] pear phone, and dial an all too familiar number. "Let's invite our 'guests of honor' shall we?"

Only the sound of muffled whimpers escaped the adhesive sealing the girl's mouth as her captor finally began to put the next phase of her plan into motion.

"Hello?"

* * *

At a local diner not too far away

"Hello?... Tori?!" Travis answered in a flustered tone catching the girls attention. "Where are you?"

After a few nods and responses, Liam hung up and darted out of the door into the pouring rain with Jade hot on his heels. "What's going on? Where's Tori?"

"She's at the old Cinema which is about 3 blocks from here!"

The two ran as fast as they could as they were getting soaked by the second in the rain, not caring about the car left in the parking lot. None of them cared though because the only thing they wanted was Tori safe... It was the only thing that mattered at this point but they never knew what was waiting for them. When they arrived, the front door was boarded up, but it didn't take long for them to find the back entrance.

Once inside the cinema, they both knew something was up. "Whoever took Tori is still here. Jade, we should check out the theatre first, but be careful... I don't want to risk losing any of you too." she nodded silently, thankful that she didn't have to leave his side. Jade was about to say something but thought it best not to. "If we don't find any clues, then we'll check backstage and the basement if necessary."

"Sounds smart but, what if this is a trap and Tori's not here?"

He looked back at the drenched girl and sighed. "If there is nothing, at least I may get my hands on whoever is responsible."

He was dead serious; she could see it in his eyes.

"Maybe you should check out the basement first?" she suggested. "We could cover more ground if we split up."

As expected, he looked at Jade with the more outrageous 'WTF' face he could muster.

"You're joking." he hissed. "After all the horror movies we've watched, you go for the most cliched choice?

"Look, clearly we're at a disadvantage, but I'm a vampire in this world and if we're together, they'll have a better chance of catching us both. Better to have at least one of us still free to explore around this dump. Besides, it's not like we're going to screw each other on the stage or anything." she wagged her eyebrows playfully. "Unless you want to first."

"Alright... I still don't agree with your logic, but there's no arguing with you."

"Careful, he's learning," she winked before planting a soft kiss on his lips. "Just be careful, okay? I promise I'll call if I find anything okay?"

"Alright. I love you, Jade..."

"I love you too, Tiger. Now go!"

He obliged her, though reluctantly until he disappeared down the stairs to the lower level, leaving Jade to her own agenda.

"Let's get this over with..."

* * *

Liam wasted little time searching every corridor and every room he could find hoping that he would find the latina werewolf but so far his search proved fruitless. He was frustrated to say the least but he persevered through it and continued on. He crept down the hall only to hear a muffled whimper. He only heard it once but it was enough to get his gears rolling again.

"Tori?!" he yelled out as he approached the last door down the hallway and charged directly into it not caring if it was locked or not. After he got to his feet, he saw the silhouette of a thin girl with long brown hair chained to the wall whimpering in pain. "Tori... You're okay." he smiled only to receive a sinister chuckle that quickly turned into a seductive laugh.

"Wrong..."

* * *

He was motivated to find their Tori Vega. More importantly, he was fueled by anger which served to trouble the vampire. It wasn't that she was jealous but, there was something more to her boyfriend that seemed to lay dormant until this point. Either way, she managed to push down this concern until they completed their mission.

Jade walked into the darkness of the main doors of the theatre and down the center of the aisle checking each row hoping to see Tori and get out of this wretched place that reeked of moldy popcorn, and stale pretzels. Once she had reached the front row, she knew that her rival was nowhere in sight and began to walk out towards the main entrance when a bright flash caught her off guard and a well-placed punch dropped her to her knee's in pain. The only thing she saw was a figure who appeared to have wings.

This was gonna be a long night...

To say that Jade was unnerved after that would be the understatement of the century. With every step she took, she was jumped slightly and would squeak at any and every foreign sound she heard. Eventually, she began to hear something that froze her in her tracks.

Footsteps.

There was nowhere to run or hide. Her legs wouldn't move nor would her brain function properly. She just stood there nearly to the point of tears when a hand was brought onto her shoulders forcibly. It was then that familiar words rang in her ear.

"Hey, bitch..."

With those words, she twisted her body and extended her leg unleashing an earth-shattering kick to the unknown figure behind her. His body landed on the carpeted floor but clutched the back of his head from the kick. Jade smirked with satisfaction at what she had accomplished. She cautiously stepped towards the main entrance but her victory to be short-lived.

"You think it's over...?" the voice grunted as he staggered to his feet. Although his identity was shrouded in darkness still, his voice was recognized. Turning around towards him, Jade pointed in horror. "You? You're!" The door slammed behind her plunging her in pure darkness leaving her scared again as she was staring at two pairs of bright red eyes. Sensing something worse approaching within the abyss, she managed to stop a dual attack from both sides only to eat a foot to the back that sent her tumbling into one of the rows.

"Get up so we can destroy you like we did your partner."

"Cat?"

Another shot to the stomach sent all of the air from her lungs as she wheezed. She clutched her ribs, grateful that they were only bruised and not broken. Unfortunately for her, bruised ribs were the least of her worries as she noticed that despite her minor injury and her night vision, she was increasingly outnumbered as she detected at least three opponents, leaving her with only one option:

Run.

* * *

"Just who are you?" Liam ordered. "Show yourself!"

"You don't want to hurt me, do you, Liam?"

That voice...

There before him, none other than Trina Vega stepped out from the dark corner with a soft smile.

"Trina? What's going on? Where's Tori?"

Soon, the smile dropped into a soft frown. "Is she all that you care about?"

"Don't play games with me, Trina," Liam narrowed his eyes, clearly sensing that something was amiss. His suspicions were confirmed when she narrowly dodged a straight punch that turned into a combination of missed shots. What he didn't avoid, he blocked to the best of his ability as Trina lit her hands ablaze, forcing him to wince as his defense steadily grew weaker. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"It's always about her!" she screeched, not letting up on her assault until he was backed against the wall. "You used me to get to her!"

"That's enough, Trina..." The wrathful woman stopped and soon the clacking of high heels could be heard. It was then that the source of the laugh was revealed. Trina could feel the evil emanating from her, and backed into Travis's solid body. He was shocked at what he saw but remained firm in his stance. "We must not break our new toy."

Turning toward the back exit, Liam could only watch in horror as the identity of this other young woman revealed herself.

"Ahrya?" he asked in disbelief... "What are you doing here?" The girl pushed her hair out of her face and gave him a smirk that was similar to Jade's. In fact, it was too much like Jade's signature look.

"Isn't it obvious... Brother?" she mockingly cooed.

"How are you here? Why are you here?!"

"That should be the least of your concerns," she yawned. "I know why you're here."

"Why you?!" He charged at the girl who simply put her hand up releasing a torrent of dark energy at him that shot him back into the brick wall behind him. Gritting his teeth, he eventually landed on the ground in a sickening thud in a sprawled out position. Trina knelt down next to him as he struggled to support his weight.

"Relax, Liam... I'm not here to get revenge on you... At least not in the way you think I do."

He flashed a questionable glance at the on-guard Trina then back at the girl he thought he once considered to be a sister. He put on a defiant smirk as he struggled again to get to his feet. "Then... Why did you kidnap Tori? And where is she by the way?" he wiped some of the debris off his face.

"You'll know soon enough. But first-" Ahri or Ahrya snapped her fingers and out came Beck, Andre, and Robbie from the shadows; the latter two holding an unconscious Jade. "Trina, be a dear and let these..." she bit her bottom lip. "Fine friends of yours escort you to where Tori is, or else the werewolf may not live to see another full moon." It was then that a television monitor cut on revealing a weakened Tori who was nearly limp. Liam was about to protest, but after seeing Jade's current state, nodded in agreement as they both followed estranged relative deeper into the basement. Once they arrived, both were chained to the wall adjacent from one another along with Jade and Cat who were just coming to.

"Excellent! The guest list is filled and we are ready for the show." she giggled like a school girl, exhibiting signs of Cat; another sign of an identity crisis. Her eyes gleamed in bitter delight at the deed about to transpose...

"What show are you blabbing on about?" Jade snapped as she shook off the cobwebs. Ahrya turned around and slapped the vampire; digging her nails into Jade's cheeks. Jade hissed at the excruciating pain that shot from her face but that was all her vile captor was going to get as far as a response. "I mean this little presentation I made dedicated to someone very close to Liam's heart who is not who she says she is..."

Liam's eyes grew to the size of golf balls. "Wait! What are you-?"

Layla nodded. "Yes my handsome spirit warrior..." she pinched his cheeks much to his chagrin. "I mean Ahrya Productions proudly presents The Tragedy of Dishonesty!"

"Ugh...! Gag me with a spoon..." Jade groaned in disgust.

"Happy to oblige you," Ahrya snapped her finger, signaling for the controlled Cat to tie a scarf around the goth's mouth, effectively silencing her. "Now, before I was interrupted..."

The images played back with photos and conjured memories from herself as Liam progressed through life. From their shared childhood to their steadily growing separation until the moment she left with her mother Cecilia, every aspect of their journey both together and apart flashed before his eyes. Then there was one moment that stopped everything in his mind. He was shocked beyond any definition of the word upon seeing her appearing in the background of nearly every magical moment with either Jade, Tori, and even Trina before she left. His face never changed; only his eyes that were filled with tears of confusion and burning anger revealed what he was feeling inside.

The night Trina left...

At that moment, he saw the source of his pain was actually:

"You?" he asked quietly as his head fell low letting his dreadlocks hide his face. "You orchestrated everything...?"

The image of his younger sibling wasn't what caught him off guard but rather who she was with.

"Liam, it's NOT what it looks like!" Ahrya pleaded while choking back tears of her own. "She wasn't good enough for you and it showed when she abandoned you that night. I only did that to protect you from making a terrible mistake but, it turned out that I made an even graver one after she left." Darkness began to shroud her features, mirroring her estranged brother's face. "I should've eliminated these two bitches as well."

"SHUT UP!" he roared, easily snapping the restraints as if they were made of paper. His eyes turned from their normal green to a blood red, a perfect symbol of the bloodlust that was building inside of him. "I'll kill you for what you've done!"

"That won't be necessary..." Everyone's attention turned to the entrance seeing a Caucasian male, smiling darkly. "Sorry I'm late to the party, but it seems my invitation was lost in the mail."

"Thoran?" Liam and Ahrya growled.

"Mad Dog?" Trina suddenly began to tremble, seemingly snapping from her stupor as her eyes locked on the young man with fear oozing from her pores.

He turned his attention to the surprised lilac eyes of the younger woman. "I must say, I was wondering when you would betray me, my dear. I'm also ashamed to say that it took me this long to pick up your true intentions after you left. While I applaud your efforts, we both know what is in store for you once I find you back in our universe."

"Demon. How did you find out?"

"Did you not think that I would notice the missing page? Even with the thousands of pages within the tome, I am able to pick up even the slightest of changes in the story that I've written. It wasn't until that page began to play out in this world did I finally pick up what you were aiming to do."

"And what would that be?" she gritted her teeth.

"The premature awakening of the beast..." he licked his lips, forcing the girls to shudder.

"The beast?" Liam finally stepped in. "What are you prattling on about?"

"In due time, my prince. But, I have some unfinished business with a certain whore who owes me quite a bit of money."

"Stay away from her," Liam spoke up, his tone calm and deadly.

"I understand why you'd protect your dear sister, but why would you risk your neck for this piece of trash? She was nothing more than a sex object who thought she was star material only to find her true calling by turning tricks." Mad Dog chuckled. "If she hadn't run away, she'd be back out on those streets making me my money back with interest."

As if a switch flipped in his mind, Liam looked at the girl who was now shaking like a leaf then back at the demented man.

"You? You were her pimp?"

"I prefer the title 'Big Daddy' but, yes... What about it?"

 _Kill him..._ that demonic voice whispered in his ear as he began to shiver at the pure rage boiling in his core.

"You're the reason she ran away? You're the reason she was abused by those assholes?!" the man raised an eyebrow in confusion as to how Liam knew so much about him. Then it clicked for him as well...

"You're the kid who attacked my tricks?" Liam and Thoran glared at one another with the illest of intentions, two feral animals ready to strike and maim the other. "That means you're the one who cost me money back then and I swore that I'd get my revenge for that. Now, the universe delivers you as an act of providence. I get to kill the one destined to die at my hands and claim my rightful place on the throne... This is truly an auspicious day, indeed."

His grin twisted up so much that it threatened to split his face until the sounds of sirens echoes in the distance.

"Dammit..." Thoran/Mad Dog cursed before creating a portal and walking through it. "We'll meet again in the real world; our story is nearing its climactic finale! I await that moment, dear prince."

With that, he disappeared into the shadow, leaving Liam and the others to escape from the abandoned building.

"That makes two of us..."

* * *

Once everyone made it to Travis's house, Andre decided to speak up.

"Thanks, Liam. I don't remember anything but, I'm glad that you saved us from that madman."

"Yeah, thanks," Beck interjected. "I'm just glad that I can move on my own again."

"We all do," Trina, rubbed her neck sheepishly, clearly still embarrassed for her part in everything. "We owe you so much, Liam."

"It's fine..." he flatly replied, staring at the ground. "How much do you guys remember?"

"Depends," Andre once more spoke up. "If you're referring to this dream world or whatever, then not much. But... I do remember one very important thing."

There was no time for anyone to ask as he approached the petite red-head.

"Andre?"

"Hey, Kitten." he smiled before leaning in to capture her lips with his own, stunning the group with his assertive approach.

Cat simply melted into his arms as she returned the kiss, moaning softly into his mouth. This persisted for another few minutes until they both heard the sound of Beck clearing his throat.

"Get a room," Jade feigned disgust, though her grin gave that away; at least until the two inched closer to the back. "Not Liam's room!"

"Sorry guys..." Cat laughed softly. "I just missed my boyfriend so much!"

"Whatever." Jade rolled her eyes. "Does anyone have a hidden crush that they'd like to reveal before we turn in for the night? I'd like to get some sleep before we discuss our plan for getting back home."

"Me too!" Tori raised her hand to which Jade simply winked, earning a blush.

"Alright, you guys can crash here tonight then, we work to get back to our world."

With everyone in agreement, Liam left to get some extra blankets and pillows for them. With everyone settled in, he knew that there was one last thing he needed to do before turning in for the night. Instead of going straight to bed, he convinced his ladies that he was going to check the security around the apartment then return. It was a total lie, one he'd make up to them later but, a necessary one that would allow him to tie up some loose ends.

He arrived at the front entrance to the complex where two figures stood in silence.

"So, you two aren't going to spend the night?" he crossed his arms.

"I should get back to the real world, I've already caused enough damage here with my own selfish desires." Ahrya averted her gaze, willing to look at anything but him.

"Me too..." Trina inserted herself. "Ahrya said she could take me back with her and help me and Mercedes to get out of New Orleans without being detected. It's probably for the best since I know that even in this world, I don't get you..."

"But Trina," he tried to object only for the light-skinned girl to hold up a digit.

"That's not true," the pair looked at her, confounded. "Back in our world, I stole three pages from that cursed book. Two of them were blank with one being used to redirect the story of this world slightly in your favor while the other remains blank. The last one is the actual ending to the story in which Trina, you won the bet between you and the others."

"So, what does that mean?" Liam frowned, not liking where this was going.

"It means, that no matter what happens, Trina can return to this world and live out the story as to how it was meant to end. If she chooses to go back home, she'll be with Mercedes and life goes on as usual but, I know that she hasn't gotten over you even if you have back home."

"I'm not leaving them, Ahrya..." his frown deepened even more after hearing about her idea. "While this alternate world has its perks, I've already decided on settling down with my girls. Period."

"I understand..." she smiled sadly. "Then, I'll talk to aunt Celeste and give her the final blank page so that she can get you out of this world and back to our own. I'm really sorry for kidnapping Tori and the others, even if it was to help you unleash the monster inside of you."

He said nothing, choosing instead to keep his eyes shut as he mulled over the recent events, silently telling her to go. She took the hint and motioned for Trina to follow her into the gateway that would lead them home. She obliged but not before rushing back to give Liam a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you for saving me, again."

"N-no problem..." he chuckled nervously. "Just be careful and get home safely, okay?"

Though his request was an urgent one, there was no doubt that he cared about Trina Vega as well as Mercedes by extension to which she giggled and soon, she and Ahrya would disappear within the portal, leaving Liam all alone in front of his place of residence. He gazed up at the night sky, thankful that the rain had ceased its torrent before turning around to a sight he wasn't expecting.

Standing before him were none other than Tori who was grinning like a child at Christmas.

"Hey, Wolfy..." she giggled.

"Hey, Querida."

The two didn't say anything else. Instead, they both closed the gap between them and embraced under the cloudy night that blanketed them. Captured in his arms, Tori felt safer than she'd ever felt before as she buried her face into his chest. For Liam, he felt nothing short of relief washing over him as she clung to him for dear life. Quiet tears flowed as she nuzzled him while his thumb stroked her back. Finally, he lifted her chin so that she was gazing directly into his eyes before kissing her forehead.

 _We're in this together..._


	64. Chapter 59

**Hey everyone! I know I've been away for a while prior to the last update and I want to deeply apologize for that. However, I'm back and will be working on stay active and consistent on here. With that being said, there are some agendas um... some quid pro quos to work out.**

 **1\. With the last chapter being posted, we are nearly at the finish line of Demons Within and I'm both happy and a bit sad. I'm more than happy because this story has been my pride and joy over the last 2+ years and it was the beginning of my journey of being a writer. However, that is also the reason I'm sad because this means I'll be ending this series pretty soon. In spite of my feelings, I am content with giving you all the best chapters I can give until the final word and so, I'll be concluding this arc within the next few chapters and will be adding three endings. Long story short, there will be a standard ending, an 'alternate' ending, and of course an epilogue.**

 **2\. I'll be taking a short break from the other stories so that I can finish things properly and then I'll hop back into things.**

 **3\. This is not the last Victorious fic as I'll either be doing some one-shots or conjuring up another story as well.**

 **4\. I truly want to thank each and every one of you who supported this fiction as well. I'll be doing a big shoutout to those who reviewed or contributed to Demons Within in the final chapter. I am grateful for your ideas and constructive criticism.**

 **Now, let's get into the next chapter! It's another long one lol.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer:**

 **This chapter contains possible violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. You will be informed before and after the specific scenes so that you can avoid any triggering themes or acts that are written out. Keep in mind that this disclaimer is a 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.**

 **Thank you in advance and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **Previously:**

He arrived at the front entrance to the complex where two figures stood in silence.

"So, you two aren't going to spend the night?" he crossed his arms.

"I should get back to the real world, I've already caused enough damage here with my own selfish desires." Ahrya averted her gaze, willing to look at anything but him.

"Me too..." Trina inserted herself. "Ahrya said she could take me back with her and help me and Mercedes to get out of New Orleans without being detected. It's probably for the best since I know that even in this world, I don't get you..."

"But Trina," he tried to object only for the light-skinned girl to hold up a digit.

"That's not true," the pair looked at her, confounded. "Back in our world, I stole three pages from that cursed book. Two of them were blank with one being used to redirect the story of this world slightly in your favor while the other remains blank. The last one is the actual ending to the story in which Trina, you won the bet between you and the others."

"So, what does that mean?" Liam frowned, not liking where this was going.

"It means, that no matter what happens, Trina can return to this world and live out the story as to how it was meant to end. If she chooses to go back home, she'll be with Mercedes and life goes on as usual but, I know that she hasn't gotten over you even if you have back home."

"I'm not leaving them, Ahrya..." his frown deepened even more after hearing about her idea. "While this alternate world has its perks, I've already decided on settling down with my girls. Period."

"I understand..." she smiled sadly. "Then, I'll talk to aunt Celeste and give her the final blank page so that she can get you out of this world and back to our own. I'm really sorry for kidnapping Tori and the others, even if it was to help you unleash the monster inside of you."

He said nothing, choosing instead to keep his eyes shut as he mulled over the recent events, silently telling her to go. She took the hint and motioned for Trina to follow her into the gateway that would lead them home. She obliged but not before rushing back to give Liam a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you for saving me, again."

"N-no problem..." he chuckled nervously. "Just be careful and get home safely, okay?"

Though his request was an urgent one, there was no doubt that he cared about Trina Vega as well as Mercedes by extension to which she giggled and soon, she and Ahrya would disappear within the portal, leaving Liam all alone in front of his place of residence. He gazed up at the night sky, thankful that the rain had ceased its torrent before turning around to a sight he wasn't expecting.

Standing before him were none other than Tori who was grinning like a child at Christmas.

"Hey, Wolfy..." she giggled.

"Hey, Querida."

The two didn't say anything else. Instead, they both closed the gap between them and embraced under the cloudy night that blanketed them. Captured in his arms, Tori felt safer than she'd ever felt before as she buried her face into his chest. For Liam, he felt nothing short of relief washing over him as she clung to him for dear life. Quiet tears flowed as she nuzzled him while his thumb stroked her back. Finally, he lifted her chin so that she was gazing directly into his eyes before kissing her forehead.

 _We're in this together..._

* * *

 **Demons Within**

 **Chapter 59: Panic!  
**

Liam was in over his head.

He was surrounded by at least 20 demonic creatures that resembled rhinoceros. He had nothing but his bare hands but he made the most of them. One by one, he warded off as many of the horde as he could while getting closer and closer to the cause of all this. Amidst the chaos, Liam continuously fought through trying to open a clear path of escape but it seemed like for everyone they destroyed at least 20 would respawn in its place.

He barely stifled a cry when sharp claws sliced at his back, forcing him down to one knee.

Soon exhaustion began to lay claim to him as his movements grew more sluggish with each passing second, yet, he refused to give up as he bared his teeth at the bloodthirsty beasts stalking closer. His eyes by now were slowly dimming; the light of hope and determination giving way to the depths of despair and why wouldn't they? On top of that, he began to feel a sharp pain coursing through his left arm that seemed to push his rage over the edge. Liam knew what it was; that damned mark he acquired after he was bitten by that cursed hellhound back in that other 'reality'.

Needless to say, he was alone in this alternate world now and it seemed to be nothing he could do about it.

No friends.

No lovers.

No communication.

"Jade... Tori..." he smiled bitterly at the snarling creatures. "Dammit... I'm sorry. I don't think I'll be able to keep my promise."

* * *

 **12 Hours Earlier**

After embracing one another, Tori and Liam both went back inside the complex only to be greeted with the sight of everyone else sleeping soundly. Beck and Robbie had taken refuge on the separate recliners while Andre & Cat were snuggled up on the lone couch, the latter nuzzling the former in a rather adorable way that nearly made Tori squeal in delight. With the departure of Trina and Ahrya, or Ahri as she was known in this world, this left only one person for the two to check on.

They both proceeded onward expecting to find an annoyed vampire but instead what they found was their romantic partner sitting crossed legged while watching some horror movie on tv. In fact, when they entered his room, it seemed that she didn't even notice their entrance as she was so engrossed with the gory act being committed on the screen. It wasn't until the door shut when Jade finally tore her gaze from the television long enough to notice their presence.

"Took you long enough," she smirked lightly, causing her two partners to look at her with heavily cautious eyes. "What?"

"N-nothing," Tori waved her hands in front of her comically, hoping to shake off the suspicion now swirling in Jade's azure orbs.

Spoiler: It didn't work.

"Vega?" she warned in a sing-song tone; the yellow flag now waving wildly. "Do I have to interrogate you two again?"

This time, Liam stepped forward.

"That won't be necessary, Jade. We were just surprised to find you still awake."

A raised eyebrow; the flag now shifting from a safe yellow to a troublesome orange. "Mhmm..."

"Alright. We were expecting to find you upset with us for having a moment without you, alright?" Liam hysterically admitted. "Given the last time we did that, you left us both tied together with vibrators torturing us all night, so we thought you'd be upset."

Thankfully, the proverbial flag no longer signaled an issue as Jade unexpectedly let out a soft giggle at her lover's distress.

"Is that what you two were worried about?" Her giggles were interrupted by their synchronized nods. "Relax, we're pretty much adults now and I'm mature enough to know that I don't have to be involved in every moment that you two share just like you don't have to share in every intimate moment with me." Both Liam and Tori exchanged glances before sighing in relief.

"That's a relief," Tori noted, holding her chest.

"But, that doesn't mean that I can't a little jealous though..." The pair turned their attention back to Jade, more specifically her rosy cheeks. She bit her lip softly, averting her gaze from the now curious gazes of her lovers. "I mean, why should Tori have all of the fun with you? I do miss our group fun and it's been quite a while since we all were able to spend some quality time with just the three of us."

Tori, for her part, was contemplating Jade's words but, Liam didn't seem to be falling for the pale girl's advances. Little did he know, this was all a part of the master plan.

"Jade, not while the others are literally down the hall-! Whoa!"

He began to lose his footing thanks to Tori pushing him onto the bed and locking the door behind her. Meanwhile, Jade took her chance and captured Liam's mouth with her own lips, deepening their kiss while dragging him onto the bed. Soon, he would find himself straddled on the bed, lying under a now victorious (no pun intended) Jade West followed by an equally triumphant Tori who was eyeing him like a piece of meat.

It was clear what they wanted and it seemed that he was fighting a losing battle. The lights turned off, plunging Liam in darkness and sealing his fate for the night.

"Girls, what about the others?"

"What about them?" Jade shrugged, clearly not caring about the four resting in the living room.

"What if we wake them up?"

"Andre has Cat..." Tori replied, not caring about the consequences of their impending actions.

"Honestly, Shapiro and Beck can go get a hooker or something for all I care..." Jade added. "Or do each other..."

Liam did his best to resist but found himself unable to conjure a legitimate rebuttal. "But... Mpphff!"

His last attempt at protesting was thwarted when something warm and wet covered his mouth. His wrists were held overhead while something soft snaked its way around them, securing them in place. His muffled moans were rewarded with a slow grind from none other than the younger Vega sibling who was too caught up in the moment to care about anything else.

This didn't last long as Liam felt her lips remove themselves from his own only to be replaced by another familiar taste that signaled the beginning of his long night. Now it was Jade feeding him her sweet nectar while a well-known weight rested on top of his lower body. It didn't take him long to let out a sharp moan into his goth girlfriend as he felt the warmth of Tori Vega slowly engulf his core. Soon, he would be welcomed with the steady rocking of his beloved women while they captured each other in a passionate lip-lock that somehow managed to keep their sounds of love and lust low enough not to wake up the group.

Several hours and positions later, all three felt their bond grow even stronger as they each earned their orgasms before finally settling down for the night. Jade on his left, and Tori on his right, Liam was exhausted but clung to the last ounce of strength he had to place a loving kiss on the lips of his ladies. It was clear to them that he was theirs no matter what happened. He was theirs so long as they would have him and they were his; their souls forever bound to each other.

"I love you, Tori," he yawned. "I love you, Jade..."

This night was theirs to claim and savor for little did they know what was coming for them when the sun rose.

"We love you too, Liam."

* * *

The sound of the school bell finally pulled Liam from his daydream while the other students began filing out of the classroom. Given the events of the night prior, he hadn't gotten enough sleep but settled on regaining those hours after school. It was a good thing that he only had his homeroom class remaining as he wasn't sure how much longer he could last with each period being more boring than the last. For now, he was content with spending some time in the Black Box where he could get an early start on his homework or sleep (more than likely sleep).

He trekked down the hallway, traversing the usual path until he arrived at his destination. He opened the door and with an audible yawn, he fished in his pockets and pulled out his phone to set an alarm. He didn't want to get caught sleeping but soon that would be the least of his problems when he finally noticed something.

He wasn't alone...

The sound of the door clicking shut once more put him on high alert only to find Sinjin stumbling down the aisle, much to his annoyance.

"Geez, Sinjin... can you get any weirder?" he growled at the boy only to finally see that something was amiss with him, well... more so than usual. "Yo! Sin, are you okay?"

Upon closer inspection, Liam felt a disturbing presence radiating from the odd boy. This was even more apparent when Sinjin looked up at him, eyes glowing a dark red along with a creepy grin adorning his face.

"Young master..." he groaned, steadily approaching the now fully awake and freaked out Liam. "Come to us."

"What?"

"Come... Young king..."

"Thoran?"

Liam wisely backed away from the slurring teen. Seconds later, he found himself witnessing the figure begin to transform before his eyes. Gone was the image of Sinjin leaving only a horrendous monster in his place. Eyes wide with fear, Liam did the only sensible thing he could do. Run. Put enough distance between himself and the thing that was coming toward him.

"Master..." it moaned through its massive fangs. "...come..."

"Leave me alone!" he roared.

This only served to anger the beast as it ceased its teasing motions and finally lunged at the boy who managed to duck under it. Liam then made his way to the door hearing the creature shuffling after him. The good news was that he would make it through the door in enough time for him to narrowly avoid being tackled when he made a sharp turn causing it to crash headfirst into a row of lockers, stunning it.

This gave Liam more than enough time to find a place to hide.

Or so he thought...

His plan to evade and hide would prove to be futile once he turned the corner leading to the gym only to wind up staring at a small group of the very same demonic entities that he just escaped. On cue, their attention all turned to him, hungry smiles directed at their prey.

Liam wasn't going to give them the chance to close the space between them and took off once again, hearing the growls and roars of the beasts not to far behind. While he was no expert, he'd watched plenty of horror flicks with Jade to know that you never look back; it'll only slow him down at this point anyway. Needless to say, he fought the urge to spare even the tiniest of glances as the pack hunted him down.

"What the hell are these things?!" he furiously asked no one in particular before entering the old cafeteria.

Pushing past the double doors, he found the room completely devoid of life. While this meant that there were no more creatures for him to deal with, there was also the elephant in the room. Where did everyone go? From the moment he encountered the first of the horde, the realization of his plight suddenly became clearer. Before he could ponder that, he needed to find a good place to hide or else he'd be at the mercy of those hellacious things. He hopped the counter leading to the kitchen and scanned his surroundings but found no good place to hide.

Well, there was one place...

The monsters finally burst through the doors of the standard lunch room and continued their search for the one they were deemed to capture. A sea of red and black beasts filled the rather large room only to feel frustration set in as it seemed their target had escaped. The next place was the kitchen to which the one leading the charge, grinned wickedly.

It wandered inside, tearing the entire room apart. All of this, and yet, he was nowhere to be found. This only left one room to check, the supply room.

"Come out, young master...!" it taunted with a wolfish grin, not unlike the actual animal. "This game is... over?"

When the monster opened the door, there were only a variety of fruits and vegetables to greet it. There was no sign of Liam Patterson which only served to infuriate the hellhound, made evident by its demonic howl.

"WHERE IS HE?!"

Unknown to him, a tired and worn out Liam had managed to sneak into the air duct above and had been crawling his way through the layout of the school to the other side. By now, he'd traversed halfway to his destination, taking note of any alternate exits below. He was thankful that while those devil hounds were tough to evade in terms of pure running, they were much easier to escape due to their lack of intelligence. If they'd only look up, then they would've noticed the open hole leading to the ducts.

By now, the horrifying howl echoed through the metal tunnels, sending a shiver down his spine as he took a few moments to rest and gather the thoughts he'd formed earlier.

For starters, he hadn't run into a single soul since leaving the Black Box theater. Two, where were Jade, Tori, and the others? Lastly, what game was this Thoran character pulling now?

Liam didn't have long to contemplate as he began to hear the sounds of shuffling underneath him signaling that it was time to move on.

"Gotta keep moving..."

* * *

Azure eyes fluttered as Jade felt consciousness return to her. After a long night of sexual satisfaction (both giving and receiving), she expected to find her wonderful boyfriend and friend turned lover but, they were nowhere to be found. The thought of Liam and Tori possibly cooking crossed Jade's mind but that notion was eliminated once she realized there was no scent for her to pick up.

"Tori? Liam?"

There was no response, only silence.

Worried, Jade pulled herself from under the warmth of the covers and proceeded to inspect the apartment. First, the bathroom, then the living room and yet, nobody was present.

"I could've sworn everyone spent the night. Where are they?" Her search would take her outside where she found something, or rather someone, finally. "Vega?"

Sure enough, there stood the equally surprised Tori Vega who was more than happy to see her gothic girlfriend.

"Jade!" she rushed her lover, capturing her in the tightest of hugs before being shoved away playfully.

"Easy there, sweet cheeks. If you're looking for more fun time, it'll have to wait."

"Sorry, I've been looking for you and Liam ever since I woke up this morning."

"Eh... It's no problem." she offhandedly waved off the Latina's awkwardness. "To tell you the truth, I was just looking for the both of you as well. Any sign of him?"

Much to her disappointment, Tori only shook her head.

"Sorry... I have no clue where he went. In fact, I haven't been able to contact him or any of our friends."

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance?"

Both girls turned around to find the lone figure of the one who started all of this.

"Thoran..." both girls bared their fangs at the grinning male. "What are you doing here?! What have you done with Liam?"

To his credit, the Caucasian male never dropped his fox-like grin.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I'm surprisingly not here for the young prince yet." Sky blue orbs then shot open freezing the blood inside of the two girls. "I'm actually here for you two instead. If you would come quietly, then I would be more than happy to reunite you both with your beloved."

"...and what if we were to decline your 'generous' offer?"

"Then I believe a little persuasion is in order."

Sensing their confusion, Thoran thought it best just reveal his hand. In each palm, crimson spheres of swirling energy were dropped onto the ground, slowly taking form. Each second passing, the energy soon ceased its transformation and revealed two young women, one of which looked exactly like Tori herself. The other was a blond haired girl with a sinister sneer on her lips and a massive amount of bloodlust in her eyes.

"I always did enjoy a good catfight." Thoran chuckled. "I hope you're better competition than the last group..."

* * *

After nearly getting lost in the ducts, Liam managed to find himself back where all of this mess began; the Black Box Theater. By now, he'd formulated a plan to escape and hopefully make it back to the apartments. In addition to his exhaustion, he felt himself getting weaker by the minute due to the combination of sleep deprivation and lack of food. In short, he wasn't sure how much longer he would last but, if he wasn't a fool.

"Once I'm outside, maybe I can make it back home and sort these things out."

"Master..."

Liam ducked behind the curtain, prepping his already tired legs for the chase that would ensue. However, one quick peek around said curtain put those plans to rest. Just on the other side of him were indeed those weird creatures but, it seemed that none of them had noticed him yet which made him sigh in relief. For now, he'd settle for using the emergency exit located on the upper level of the stage. While not the ideal choice, it was the best one for a short notice move.

Silently he moved, taking each step along the circular staircase until he was finally on the scaffold overlooking the entire theater. Now, all that was left was for him to traverse the catwalk without being spotted and he'd be home free. The downside of his success would be that the doors would sound the fire alarm, but alarm be damned.

"At least I'll have a headstart." he calmly exhaled, scouting the room one last time before enacting his mission. "3... 2... 1!"

With no more hesitation, Liam rushed across the scaffold to the chorus of growls and moans that only pushed him to run even faster down the narrow pathway. Rushing seemed to be the best course of action as he drew closer to his sanctuary until he felt the scaffold beginning to sink. He began to lose his footing when he noticed what was actually happening.

The monsters...

Those accursed creatures had managed to tear down most of the stands that hold up the makeshift bridge and were now climbing over one another to capture their prey. To make matters worse, there were more of those wretched beings filling the room. While this spelled trouble for Liam, he was indeed grateful that he'd held on to one of the side railings, giving himself a chance to pull himself up and, by extension, a chance to still escape.

That opportunity grew slimmer by the second as the 'crabs in a bucket' inched closer to their prey.

"Gotta keep moving..." he chanted while trying desperately to pull himself away from the horde behind him. "I'm not going out like this."

Steadily he willed his way upward as the sounds of moaning combined with the creaking of the now severed metal rails filled his eardrums. Wide pools of emerald suddenly narrowed to a determined glare; it was now or never. Either he'd make it to the other end, or fall with the brittle scaffold and be taken by the creatures below.

Then, without warning, the metallic rail snapped sending the beasts crumbling on top of each other. Interestingly, there was only one thing, or rather person, missing.

Liam, who'd managed to grab onto the wooden ledge, continued climbing until he was certain that every part of him was finally out of harm's way. Once that was settled, he let out the breath he'd been holding in all of this time, sparing only a few seconds to observe the sea of broken bodies underneath him before shifting closer to the emergency exit.

"So much for a silent escape..." he joked before finally resuming his departure.

Liam was now one step closer to freedom...

* * *

"Fuck..."

Back in the present, Liam barely had the strength to keep his eyes open due to the increasing amount of pain coursing through his body.

Shortly after leaving the school, he was bombarded with the mass of demonic entities that began terrorizing the city of Los Angeles and everyone in it. Everywhere he looked there was bloodshed accompanied by the grotesque chorus of screams; it was more than enough to cause anyone to experience PTSD but, there was no time for that as Liam had to run and evade as long as he could in hopes of finding his beloved girlfriends and the others.

All of that came to a screeching halt when a bird-like monster took a swipe at him, knocking him to the ground. After that, Liam was forced to accept the cruel reality before him. Either he would fight, or he'd die in this alternate world.

Sadly, there was one other option remaining, one that Liam had hoped against but, couldn't ignore any longer.

What if he fought and still dies?


End file.
